Laura

Laura is a female name deriving from the Latin word for laurel.

According to the Social Security Administration, the name Laura was among the top 50 names for female babies for much of the early 20th century in the United States, but dropped to top 100-120 in the 1930s-40s, then rebounded to the top 20 in 1984-1986, and has since dropped off the 120th afterward. [ [http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/ Popular baby names ] ]

Places

*Laura, Illinois, a city
*Laura, Kentucky, a city
*Laura, Ohio, a small village
*Laura, Queensland, a town in Australia
**Laura River (Queensland), its river
*Laura, South Australia, Australia
*Laura, Saskatchewan, Canada
*Laura River, in Ukraine and Romania

Media

Films

*"Laura" (1944 film), starring Gene Tierney
*"Laura" (1979 film), French film directed by David Hamilton

Music

*"Laura" (1945 song), adapted from the 1944 film's theme
*"Laura," a parody of the 1945 song performed by Spike Jones and His Other Orchestra
*"Laura" (Laura Pausini album), 1994 studio album by Italian singer–songwriter Laura Pausini
*Laura (Scissor Sisters song), the first charting single by American alternative band Scissor Sisters in 2003
*"Laura Jenna Ellinoora Alexandra Camilla Jurvanen", a song by the Finnish popular music band Leevi and the Leavings in 1996.
*"Laura Non C'è", a hit song by the Italian singer Nek in 1997.
*Laura (band), an Australian post-rock band
*Oh Laura, a Swedish indie band formerly known as Laura
*"Laura", a song performed by Billy Joel on his album The Nylon Curtain
*"Laura", a song by the Celtic-Punk band Flogging Molly. Dedicated to lead singer's dead wife who was named "Laura".
*"Laura", a song by the British shoegazing band Lush (band).
*"Tell Laura I Love Her" a song by Ray T. Peterson in 1960

Non-fictional persons

*Laura Agront, Puerto Rican high jumper
*Laura Bruschini, Italian beach volleyball player
*Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States
*Laura Davis, American medley swimmer
*Laura Critchley, British singer/songwriter
*Laura Dern, American actress
*Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the "Little House on the Prairie" books
*Laura, the subject of love poetry by Petrarch
*Dr. Laura, radio talk show host
*Laura Lippman, author whose books include "Baltimore Blues"
*Laura Hillenbrand, author of "Seabiscuit"
*Laura Robson, British tennis player
*Laura San Giacomo, actress
*Laura Sánchez, Mexican diver
*Laura Sánchez (swimmer), Mexican freestyle swimmer
*Laura Secord, Canadian heroine who warned Canadian troops of an impending American attack during the War of 1812
*Princess Maria Laura of Belgium

Fictional characters

*Laura of Luke and Laura Spencer, characters on the soap opera "General Hospital"
*Laura (WARP character), the protagonist of Japanese developer WARP's video games
*Laura Palmer, the girl whose murder is the underlying subject of "Twin Peaks"
*Laura Roslin, the President of the Twelve Colonies on the reimagined "Battlestar Galactica"
*Laura Bow, fictional detective
*Laura Winslow, daughter on the television series "Family Matters"
*Laura Brown, the character portrayed by Julianne Moore in the film "The Hours"

Other

* Laura or Lavra (Greek: Λαύρα, Cyrillic: Лавра), a cluster of cells or caves used by hermits
* Laura Ashley (1925–1985), a Welsh designer who gave her name to a clothing, home furnishings, and perfume brand
* Laura (clothing), a chain of Canadian women's fashions
* "Laura" (novel), detective novel by Vera Caspary
* Laura Secord Chocolates, a chain of chocolate delicatessens
* 467 Laura, an asteroid

Laura's may refer to :
* Laura's Happy Adventures, an adventure, role-playing video game developed by Playmobil Interactive
* Laura's Law, a 2003 California state statute that allows for court-ordered outpatient commitment of mental health clients who refuse voluntary treatment with psychotropic medications
* Laura's Star, a 2004 animated feature made and produced by Thilo Rothkirch released to theaters in Germany by Warner Bros
* Laura's Woodland-warbler ("Phylloscopus laurae") is a species of Old World African warbler in the Sylviidae family
* Škoda Laura is the name of small family car introduced by the Czech automobile manufacturer Škoda Auto, sold in Indian market, often known as Škoda Octavia

See also

*
* Lauren
* Lauretta

References