Lawrence comes from the Latin Laurentius and means "from Laurentum", an ancient town near Rome, though it has long been linked to the laurel, the "laurel-crowned" victor. St. Lawrence, a 3rd-century deacon and martyr, made it a favorite across Europe, and T. E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, gave it a romantic glow. Lawrence was number 322 in 2000 and has moved slowly down the rankings since, to number 520 in 2025.