My husband and I love this name, and are probably going to use it when our daughter is born later this month. However, a lot of our friends and family have told us they don’t care for it, and much prefer [name]Lauren[/name] as being more hip and modern. [name]Even[/name] though [name]Laura[/name] is clearly a classic (as is evident from the lists it is included in on this website), why do people not necessarily view it in the same league as other classics ([name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Sophia[/name], etc.)? What do you all think of the name?
Well, it’s my name. And I’ll be really blunt, it’s a great name that no one appreciates! 
I will admit I hated it as a kid, but then, I was a huge tomboy, and hated the frilly feel. That and the fact that my folks got the name from “Dark Shadows”, a gothic soap opera that was on the air about the time I was born. But it was a pleasure growing up with it and every guy I ever dated loved my name too. What a rush! 
Now that I’m a middle aged fool, I will say, I love my name, I’m glad my parents chose it over at least one of their choices (I still think I’d make a much better [name]Alice[/name]) but All in all, it’s a lovely name to have. Feminine, with a great history. Petrarch wrote poetry to a [name]Laura[/name], way back in ancient Greece, you know? A little frilly and well, my brother couldn’t say [name]Laura[/name] when he was little (he’s a year and a haf younger than I) and came out with Lo-la instead. My parents thought it was cute coming from a then not quite 2 year old and I’ve been [name]Lola[/name] to friends and family informally ever since. So there’s another possible nickname for you, away from [name]Lori[/name]/[name]Laurie[/name] that is dated.
When I think about [name]Lauren[/name] or [name]Laurel[/name] I think [name]Lauren[/name]'s my plastic version and [name]Laurel[/name]'s my Hippy-dippy version. I’m very glad to be a [name]Laura[/name]! Look at the name on SSA’s lists, the one near the bottom that you can change to be 127 years (the length of time SSA’s been collecting data), and you’ll see that it really is a classic, in a never been off the charts dort of way. A very nice name to have, indeed. Distinctive, pretty, obviously feminine and classic. [name]Laura[/name] Wattenberg has nice things to say about [name]Laura[/name] too, it’s her name! (And I always wanted one of those big, script monograms like [name]Laverne[/name] had on [name]Laverne[/name] & [name]Shirley[/name]… I [name]LOVE[/name] my capital L!
Convinced yet? 
Forgot tto say, I think the reason peole don’t think of it as a classic is that there was a huge spike in the name in the mid 60’s and then a smaller one in the early 80’s. It feels a bit tired to folks who grew up with it in large numbers, ala [name]Jennifer[/name], but really, it’s been around forever and will continue to be around.
Go here: http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/
scroll down to “Popularity of a Name”, enter [name]Laura[/name], erase the 15 and make it 127 (don’t choose a gender) and hit the “go” button. I’ll bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
I completely disagree with those who are telling you [name]Lauren[/name] is more “hip.” It’s horribly dated! Most [name]Laurens[/name] are in high school/college now; her moment has passed. When I was young and going through a [name]Laura[/name] Ingalls [name]Wilder[/name] phase, I was convinced that my firstborn child would be named [name]Laura[/name]; it was the most bee-yew-tee-ful name ever. (Yes, I was obsessed with baby names as early as 10.) As a teacher, I typically see one [name]Laura[/name] a year, so that for me makes it one of those “fitting in without standing out” type names.
[name]Laura[/name] is a rare but classic name that is fantastic. I love it! Sometimes it seems like it’s boring because it’s not so trendy, but it’s a name that every generation has experience with. I look forward to growing old with it. I am not sure I would feel comfortable growing old as [name]Kayla[/name] or [name]Morgan[/name] or [name]Meagan[/name]. ([name]Susan[/name] did not write this post-her daughter [name]Laura[/name] wrote it.)
I love [name]Laura[/name]. I think it’s classic, feminine, simple, and pure. I think sometimes trendy is mistaken for hip. [name]Lauren[/name] feels trendy and slightly dated to me. I would enthusiastically recommend [name]Laura[/name] to anyone!
I never realized it, but I’ve never really seen [name]Laura[/name] as being a classic name. I guess it is… I mean, it should be right? Hmm.
I personally do prefer [name]Lauren[/name]. It is quite a bit more popular here in BC, [name]Canada[/name] than [name]Laura[/name] & therefore can see why others would think it’s ‘hip’.
If you and dh love it, I say go for it. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s a cool or hip name. But, It’s a good sturdy name. [name]Kinda[/name] like the good ol’ black dress so to speak. Titles to “the cool names” or “the hip names” get tossed around year to year. But, you can’t beat, well… a classic (:
I prefer [name]Lauren[/name] to [name]Laura[/name]
[name]Laura[/name] is preeeeeeetty. Ignore your peers and go with it!
To me, [name]Lauren[/name] is really dated, and [name]Laura[/name] is a graceful, beautiful classic. I say go for [name]Laura[/name], since it’s the name you and your husband love!
I’m with those who think that [name]Lauren[/name] is trendy and [name]Laura[/name] will stand the test of time. Go for it!
My sisters name is [name_f]Laura[/name_f]. Honestly, I have never liked the name. I would not call it a classic, but rather a basic name like [name_f]Susan[/name_f] or [name_f]Linda[/name_f].
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] is very pretty, and most definitely a classic. I love [name_f]Lauren[/name_f] but I have to admit it is dated, but more so than [name_f]Laura[/name_f].
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] is absolutely lovely! If you love it, use it!
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] is lovely. She’s a sturdy classic whose popularity is declining. I’ve been thinking about the name quite a bit lately and would probably go for a more uncommon nickname as a means to “update” her – [name_f]Lola[/name_f] or [name_f]Lolly[/name_f] come to mind.
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] is definitely a classic whose time has come to be in the spotlight again.
Hah. I love [name_f]Laura[/name_f] Went through this phase were I was 100 % sure that my daughter would be [name_f]Laura[/name_f], when I was 12. [name_m]Even[/name_m] named a teddy [name_f]Laura[/name_f]. Didn’t go well with her siblings, [name_m]Harald[/name_m], [name_f]Tulla[/name_f] & Mulla xD
I consider [name_f]Laura[/name_f] a much more classic choice, than the trendy/dated [name_f]Lauren[/name_f]. I admit I love [name_f]Laurel[/name_f], but [name_f]Laura[/name_f] wins for me And I say go for the name you and your husband love - not what everyone else like.
I’m a [name_f]Laura[/name_f], I think is a beautiful classic name, i much prefer it to [name_f]Lauren[/name_f].
I’d love to meet a little [name_f]Laura[/name_f]!xo
Dated names were extremely popular names primarily associated with a single period of time (although it could be a long period of time).
To me the following names are examples of dated names (names that were incredibly popular for a period of time that have dropped out of favor.
[name_f]Patricia[/name_f] (a top 10 name from 1930-1965; dropped out of top 100 @ 1990 now @ 700)
[name_u]Lisa[/name_u] (a top 10 name from 1959 to 1976; dropped out of top 100 @ 1993 now @700)
[name_f]Susan[/name_f] (a top 10 name from 1945 to 1965, dropped from top 100 @1985 one @ 800)
[name_f]Linda[/name_f] (a top 10 name from 1940 to 1965; dropped out of top 100 @ 1978 now @650)
[name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] (a top 10 name from 1956 to 1991; dropped out of top 100 in 2009)
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] (a top 10 name from 1976 until 2000; dropped out of top 100 in 2011)
Classic - name with history; no dramatic spikes and drops in popularity)
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] (top 10 name for 100 years ago and now; lowest rank in last 100 years was 26)
[name_f]Katherine[/name_f] (ranged between top 25 and top 100 for the past 100 years)
[name_f]Mary[/name_f] (a top 10 name for much of the last 100 years, did move out of to 100 recently but lowest rank is @125)
So where does [name_f]Laura[/name_f] fit?
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] (the only year it hit top 10 was 1969; it was ranked between 50 and 100 through 1935, it pretty much ranked as a top 100 name through 2001 and is now at 280.)
So I find [name_f]Laura[/name_f] to be more similar to the less popular classic names than the dated names.
[name_f]Lauren[/name_f], on the other hand, seems to be closer to fitting the dated category. It only hit top 10 one year but was a top 20 name from 1985 to 2004. It is now at 72.
[name_f]Laurel[/name_f] has never ranked higher than 250 and some years didn’t make the rankings.
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] is a beautiful name. Go for it.
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] is stunning – feminine and light, yet strong and determined.
And yes, it is a classic! [name_f]Lauren[/name_f] is old news. [name_f]Laura[/name_f] will never feel dated.
(I coached gymnastics as a hobby until recently and literally had a [name_f]Lauren[/name_f], [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Isabel[/name_f], [name_f]Hannah[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_u]Allie[/name_u], and [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] in every other class.)
I honestly do NOT remember a single [name_f]Laura[/name_f]! She will stand out from all of the [name_m]Laurens[/name_m] and be so beautiful. I believe [name_f]Lauren[/name_f] will feel like [name_f]Lori[/name_f] 30 years from now. Again: [name_f]Laura[/name_f] is the true classic.
Another lovely option is [name_f]Laurel[/name_f]. I attended graduate school with a young woman in her 20s named [name_f]Laurel[/name_f]. She was tall, had long curly brown hair and looked like a super model! Those “old lady” names are the true gems.
In the interest of full disclosure, I was and am a huge fan of the “[name_m]Little[/name_m] House on the [name_u]Prairie[/name_u]” series. I believe the heroine’s full name was [name_f]Laura[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] Ingalls [name_m]Wilder[/name_m].
Go for it, mama! And congratulations.