Lars
Masculine · “from Laurentum”
Lars is Lawrence contracted to one syllable, and the Latin behind it names a town — Laurentum, whose own name comes from the laurel.
How old is the name Lars?
Lars first appears in US birth records in 1883 — 142 years ago. The typical Lars alive today was born around 1989, making them about 36 years old. About 6,100 people named Lars are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Lars most popular?
Lars peaked in 1883, reaching #720 nationally. Today it ranks #1886, 1,166 places below that high. See the whole 1883 chart.
Lars appears on these lists:
Where it comes from
From laurus to Lars
The story of Lars
Saint Lawrence was martyred in Rome in 258 and, in the legend, told his executioners to turn him over as he was done on one side. His cult spread across Europe. Scandinavian made Lars, which became one of the most-used names in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Emigration brought it to America, where it is in current use.
Meaning
from Laurentum; laurel
Through Laurentius, 'of Laurentum', a town near Rome whose name is generally connected to laurus, 'laurel'. Scandinavian contracted Laurentius to Laurens and then Lars. The laurel crown for victors gives the name its association. The Latin is documented.
How the name formed
- laurus
- Laurentius
- Laurens
- Lars
Related forms: Lars · Lars · Lars · Lawrence
Pronouncing Lars
LARS
One syllable. Swedish and Danish say it the same way with a lighter r.
Nicknames for Lars
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1883
- Most boys named
- 2003117 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #720reached in 1883
- Change vs 2023
- +23.9%83 in 2025, from 67
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Lars in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- Lars in Swedish — same name
- Lars in Danish — same name
- Lars in Dutch — same name
- Lawrence in English — related form
Strongest US states over the last decade: California, Minnesota, Washington.
Larss among us
people named Lars are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 boy in 20,579 born in 2025 was named Lars
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
Fashion outlook
Lars sits in the calm middle of the cycle — neither chasing a wave nor sliding off one. Middle-of-the-cycle names age slowly and predictably.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Lars is headed
Lars should hold steady through 2030 — the curve is flat, and flat curves are the most predictable kind.
Medium confidence — fitted on official counts through 2025.
A damped-trend projection of the official birth data — a sketch of momentum, not a promise. Every name's forecast, ranked.
Lars beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Lars in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US boys given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- The laurel connection is concrete and the martyr's reported last words are memorable.
- It is standard across Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Dutch naming.
- One syllable, firm, and never mispronounced.
- It reads as distinctly Scandinavian.
- Lawrence is the form English speakers will assume as an equivalent.
- It is very short and can be swallowed by a long surname.
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What they receive
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Lars
Masculine · #1886 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Larss are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 6,100 people named Lars are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Lars in 2025?
- Lars ranks #1886 among US boy names in 2025, with 83 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Lars?
- About 1 in every 20,579 US boys born in 2025 was named Lars — 83 in all.
- Will my child share the name Lars with classmates?
- Lars will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Lars
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Adolfo#1886 · Wolf#1886 · Kyron#1886 · Xylo#1886 · Mayer#1886 · Hussein#1886 · Camdyn#1886 · Rakan#1886
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Lars? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Lars and another name?
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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