Jennifer vs Laura
Jennifer and Lauracompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2003, Jennifer was ranked #84 and Laura #32 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2003, Jennifer was ranked #88 and Laura #37 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #413 and Laura #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2020, Jennifer was ranked #493 and Laura #129 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Jennifer was ranked #354 and Laura #243 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #483 and Laura #258 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #384 and Laura #351 among girls in Scotland.
Jennifer and Laura over time
Jennifer and Laura appear together in 6 published lists, across 220 years of shared records. Laura held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Jennifer in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Jennifer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Laura in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1984, Laura moved ahead of Jennifer in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #19 and #24 the year before became #19 and #18.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jennifer and Laura changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1946 and 2020, ending at #493 and #129.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jennifer and Laura averaged 36.7 places apart, ending at #88 and #37.
- Longest-running competitions
Jennifer and Laura were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 54 years, from 1946 to 2020, ending at #493 and #129.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #54 in 1996, Laura #17 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Jennifer held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Laura in 43.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1981, Laura #2 in 1985.
The order changed in 1983: Laura moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #4 and #11; by 1983 that had become #5 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #413, Laura #112.
Norway · Girls54 shared years, 1946–2020
Jennifer held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Laura in 45.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #187 in 2000, Laura #104 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jennifer #493, Laura #129.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jennifer held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #54 in 1996, Laura #17 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jennifer #483, Laura #258.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1976–2003
Jennifer held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Laura in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #12 in 1976, Laura #9 in 1994.
The order changed in 1984: Laura moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #19 and #24; by 1984 that had become #19 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Jennifer #88, Laura #37.
New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1978–2003
Jennifer held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Laura in 18.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #15 in 1981, Laura #8 in 1995.
The order changed in 1985: Laura moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #18 and #19; by 1985 that had become #20 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Jennifer #84, Laura #32.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2022
Jennifer held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 22.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #55 in 1997, Laura #13 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Jennifer #354, Laura #243.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Jennifer | Laura |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption. | From Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems. |
| Origin | Welsh, via Cornish transmission | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/ | /ˈlɔɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin, while Laura is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Jennifer has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Laura.
- Jennifer's recorded meaning differs from Laura's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Jennifer
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Laura
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #313 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls