Namewise

Laura vs Louise

Laura and Louisecompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1995, Laura was ranked #9 and Louise #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1994, Laura was ranked #13 and Louise #100 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #141 and Louise #59 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #112 and Louise #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Laura was ranked #215 and Louise #296 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #303 and Louise #816 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Laura was ranked #351 and Louise #476 among girls in Scotland.

Laura and Louise over time

Laura and Louise appear together in 6 published lists, across 213 years of shared records. Laura held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Louise in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Louise reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Laura in 1. 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 1983, Laura moved ahead of Louise in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #36 and #35 the year before became #24 and #35.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Laura and Louise changed places 17 times in Norway · Girls between 1946 and 2025, ending at #141 and #59.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Laura and Louise were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #303 and #816.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Laura #17 in 1996, Louise #44 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls65 shared years, 1946–2025

    Laura held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Louise in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #99 in 2024, Louise #59 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2004: Louise moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #167 and #183; by 2004 that had become #181 and #117.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #141, Louise #59.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Laura held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Louise in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #2 in 1985, Louise #5 in 1980.

    The order changed in 1983: Laura moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #11 and #7; by 1983 that had become #3 and #10.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #112, Louise #213.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Laura held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Louise in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #17 in 1996, Louise #44 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #303, Louise #816.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2017

    Laura held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Louise in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #13 in 1997, Louise #33 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Laura #215, Louise #296.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1976–1995

    Laura held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Louise in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #9 in 1995, Louise #35 in 1982.

    The order changed in 1983: Laura moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #36 and #35; by 1983 that had become #24 and #35.

    Most recent shared year, 1995: Laura #9, Louise #100.

  • New Zealand · Girls17 shared years, 1978–1994

    Laura held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Louise in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #9 in 1989, Louise #27 in 1980.

    The order changed in 1983: Laura moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #57 and #28; by 1983 that had become #24 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 1994: Laura #13, Louise #100.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Laura

Pairs where Laura shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Louise

Pairs where Louise shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Laura, Louise
FieldLauraLouise
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems.The French feminine form of Louis, from Germanic elements 'hlud' (famous) and 'wig' (warrior) — 'famous warrior'.
OriginLatinGermanic, via French transmission
Pronunciation/ˈlɔɹ.ə//lu.ˈiz/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025)Norway · Girls #59 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Laura is recorded with a Latin origin, while Louise is recorded with a Germanic, via French transmission origin.
  • Laura and Louise both have 2 syllables.
  • Laura's recorded meaning differs from Louise'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

Laura

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #303 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Louise

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #379 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls