Laurentia

This is my given name. I am the namesake of my maternal grandmother who went by "Laura" her entire life. I, too, went by Laura throughout my school years. As we are descended from German middle name farm immigrants I've never understood how my grandmother (the eldest of 14) came to be named Laurentia. It doesn't show up on our extended family tree and as a child it never occurred to me to ask anyone. There are, however, some Lawrences present so it's no real stretch to assume a connection. When people have a difficult time pronouncing it (I get 'Laura-NI-ta' a lot) I just say it rhymes with 'dementia'.