Laura

Laura is a Latin name derived from laurus, meaning laurel tree or laurel wreath, a plant that in ancient Rome symbolized victory, honor, and poetic achievement. The name was famously borne by Laura de Noves, the woman celebrated in the sonnets of the Italian poet Petrarch in the fourteenth century, which helped spread the name's romantic and literary prestige throughout Europe. It has been widely used across Romance-language countries and beyond, giving rise to related forms including Laurel, Lauren, Laurie, Loretta, and the masculine Laurence.