Names That Mean Bay
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About this list
The names
Daphne
Greek
"laurel tree, bay tree"
In Greek mythology, Daphne was the nymph daughter of Peneus, a river god. Peneus saved Daphne from Apollo’s romantic obsessions by transforming her into a laurel tree. It is from this myth that the…
Laura
English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
Laura is a hauntingly evocative perennial, never trendy, never dated, feminine without being fussy, with long-standing literary links. All this makes Laura a more solid choice than any of its more…
Lauren
English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
Lauren was derived from Laurence, an English name from the Roman family name Laurentius, meaning "from Laurentum." Laurentum, an ancient Italian city, got its name from the Latin word laurus ,…
Lawrence
Latin
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"
Lawrence has survived from Roman times, when Laurentium was a city noted for its laurel trees (the laurel is a symbol of wisdom and achievement). It was in the Top 50 from the 1890s through the 1950s…
Loretta
English variation of Italian Lauretta; diminutive of Laura
"bay laurel"
Though Loretta has long ago lost its Latin flair, fashionable Sarah Jessica Parker's choice of it as the middle name of one of her twin daughters freshens it up a bit. It's one of several such names,…
Larry
Diminutive of Lawrence, English from Latin
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"
Your friendly next-door neighbor...not your baby. Although Larry was once one of the most popular boys' names starting with L , that title now belongs to Liam.
Loretto
Variation of Loretta
"bay laurel"
Loretto is an old school spelling of the more common Loretta, which comes from the Italian Laura diminutive Lauretta. Antiquated to the point of extinction -- no baby girls have received the name in…
Lauretta
Italian diminutive of Laura
"bay laurel"
The first syllable of Laura in Italian rhymes with now, so Lauretta does not really sound like the decidedly midcentury Loretta thought most English speakers will pronounce it that way. Still, this…
Laurene
Variation of Lauren, English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
In the midcentury US, putting an ene or een or ine at the end of any name made it more stylish. Today, it usually has the opposite effect. Laurene does have a measure of class thanks to businesswoman…
Lori
English spelling variation of Laurie; diminutive of Laura
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"
Lori, with this sleek modern spelling, was an extremely popular name in the middle of the 20th century, ranking among the Top 100 girls' names from the early 1950s until the early 1980s. But it was…
Laurie
English, diminutive of Laura
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
Laurie morphed into the more streamlined Lori in the sixties but now feels dated for a girl in either spelling. Update Lauren has been renovated as Laurel or Laura itself.
Laurie
English diminutive of Laurence
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
A sweet and sophisticated nickname which feels fresh again after many years in style limbo. For literature lovers, it brings to mind Theodore "Laurie" Laurence from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women .…
Loren
English spelling variation of Lauren, Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
The spelling Loren turns Lauren or its male form Laurence into a gender-neutral name. Last year 75 baby girls were named Loren in the US vs. 60 baby boys, making this name a good nonbinary choice. On…
Loren
Variation of Laurence, English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
A variant form of Laurence or Lawrence which ranked in the #200s in the US from the 1900s through to the 1960s. It didn't fall off the boys' Top 1000 until the late 1990s, following the huge…
Laurence
English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
Lawrence is the dominant spelling in the US, but in the UK Laurence and Lawrence are given in almost equal numbers each year, often with the adorable nickname Laurie or Lawrie. British actor Sir…
Hanalei
Hawaiian
"crescent bay or garland valley"
An appealing Hawaiian name which belongs to a town, river and bay on Kauaʻi island in Hawaii. The two possible meanings of the name, "crescent bay" or "garland (lei) valley" both describe the beauty…
Bahia
Spanish
"bay"
Cool tropical Latin word name.
Cove
English
"small bay"
Cove is an up-and-coming nature name whose cool sound and peaceful image saw it rising for both sexes until COVID-19 hit. It decreased slightly for boys in 2020 and remained steading in 2021, but it…
Baia
Portuguese
"bay"
This possible word name, which rhymes with Maia, makes an even more distinctive alternative.
Laragh
Irish, variation of Laura
"bay laurel"
As represented by supermodel Laragh McCann, gives the ordinary LAURA or LARA a soft Irish accent.
