Laree
A feminine variant of the masculine French name Hilaire, meaning "cheerful and bright".
Name Census estimates that about 869 living Americans carry the first name Laree. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Laree today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Laree births was 1958 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Laree. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
869
~ 1 in 394,424 Americans
Peak year
1958
34 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
2018 SSA rank
#17,036
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Laree: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Laree from the 1910s through to the 2010s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 245 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Laree by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Laree during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Larees live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Utah, California, Idaho recorded the most babies named Laree, while Idaho, California, Utah recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 61 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Laree
The name Laree is believed to have originated from the French language, derived from the word "laurier," meaning "laurel." The laurel plant has been a symbol of victory and honor since ancient times, making the name Laree a fitting choice for those seeking to embody these qualities.
The earliest known references to the name Laree can be traced back to the 16th century in France. During this period, the name was often associated with nobility and those of high social standing, as the laurel wreath was a symbol of achievement and prestige.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Laree was Laree de Montpellier, a French noblewoman born in 1572. She was known for her involvement in the salons of Paris, where intellectuals and artists would gather to discuss various topics.
In the 17th century, the name Laree gained popularity among the French aristocracy. A notable figure during this time was Laree de Bourbon, born in 1610, a member of the influential House of Bourbon and a patron of the arts.
As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way into literature. Laree appeared as a character in the 1789 novel "The Mysteries of Udolpho" by Ann Radcliffe, one of the pioneering works of the Gothic fiction genre.
During the 19th century, the name Laree crossed the Atlantic and gained some popularity in North America. One notable figure was Laree Melville, born in 1822, a renowned American artist known for her landscape paintings depicting the beauty of the New England countryside.
In the 20th century, the name Laree continued to be used, although less commonly than in previous centuries. One notable bearer of the name was Laree Fielding, born in 1915, a British actress and singer who gained fame for her performances on the West End stage.
While the name Laree may not be as widely used today as it once was, its rich history and symbolism continue to make it a unique and meaningful choice for those seeking a name steeped in tradition and associated with honor and achievement.
People
Laree + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Laree as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Laree: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Laree?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 869 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Laree going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 394,424 US residents.
Is Laree a common name?
We classify Laree as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,434 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Laree most popular?
The single biggest year for Laree was 1958, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Laree is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Laree a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Laree in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.