Laban

/ˈlɑːbən/

//ˈlɑːbən// name

"laban" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Laban” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #40,319 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#40,319
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The brother of Rebekah and uncle of Jacob and Esau.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Laban vs LAN
20% similar
Laban vs loan
40% similar
Laban vs lean
40% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Laban
PropertyValue
HeadwordLaban
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈlɑːbən/
Letters5
Frequency rank#40,319
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Laban” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Laban lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Laban is 5 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɑːbən/. Corpus data places it at rank #40,319 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for Laban, with forms such as "laabn", "labann", and "labban". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "LAN", "loan", "lean", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English Laban, from Latin Laban, from Koine Greek Λάβαν (Lában), from Biblical Hebrew לָבָן (Lāḇān). The correct English form is Laban, spelled L-A-B-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The brother of Rebekah and uncle of Jacob and Esau.
  2. 2
    A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.

Etymology

From Middle English Laban, from Latin Laban, from Koine Greek Λάβαν (Lában), from Biblical Hebrew לָבָן (Lāḇān).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: laabn,labann,labban,labna,lbaan,llaban

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Laban - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

laabn2labann1labban1labna2lbaan2llaban1
Edit distance from "Laban"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Laban"?
"Laban" is spelled L-A-B-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɑːbən/.
What does "Laban" mean?
As a proper noun, "Laban" means: The brother of Rebekah and uncle of Jacob and Esau.
What words are commonly confused with "Laban"?
"Laban" is commonly confused with "LAN", "loan", "lean". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Laban"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Laban" is /ˈlɑːbən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Laban"?
From Middle English Laban, from Latin Laban, from Koine Greek Λάβαν (Lában), from Biblical Hebrew לָבָן (Lāḇān). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Laban”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-A-B-A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɑːbən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “LAN” - see the side-by-side comparison. Laban vs LAN
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list