Lau as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Lau

What is the meaning of the name Lau ?

The baby name Lau is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced {'Hawaiian': "/ˈlau/ (lah-oo or diphthong like 'ow' in 'how' with Hawaiian vowels)", 'Cantonese': "/lau/ (approx. 'lao' or 'low')", 'English': "/laʊ/ (rhymes with 'how')"}.

Lau is Cantonese, Danish, Hawaiian, Scandinavian in Origin.

Lau is primarily a Scandinavian and Frisian short form of names derived from Latin Laurentius, literally “man from Laurentum” and, by association with laurus, “laurel-crowned.” It appears in medieval records across Denmark, Frisia, and Low German regions, influenced by the veneration of Saint Lawrence, and survives as a given name or nickname in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, the Netherlands, and northern Germany.

In Cantonese romanization, Lau also represents several Chinese surnames, most commonly the surnames spelled in Mandarin as Liu - 劉 and 柳 (“willow”); in English-speaking contexts, such surnames are sometimes adapted as given names. In Polynesian languages such as Samoan and Tongan, lau means “leaf” or “many/to count,” and occurs in compound personal names, occasionally used alone. Related forms and variants include Lars, Laurits, Laurens, Laurent, Laurenz, Lawrence/Laurence, Lorenzo, and Lauro; feminine counterparts include Laura, Laure, Lauren, Laurence (French), and Laurentia. Meanings vary by origin: laurel, victory, willow, or leaf.