Laura

Laura is a Latin feminine name derived from laurus, meaning laurel tree, a plant associated in ancient Rome with victory, honor, and poetic achievement. The name was borne by Laura de Noves, the fourteenth-century woman celebrated as the muse of the Italian poet Petrarch, whose sonnets in her honor made the name a lasting symbol of idealized beauty and romantic inspiration. Saint Laura of Córdoba, a ninth-century Spanish martyr, also contributed to the name's spread throughout the Christian world. Closely related forms include Lauren, Laurence, Laurel, Loretta, and Lara.