Social: It has been suggested that the Lamanites had a similar naming convention to the early Nephite kings, where the king would receive the throne-name Nephi. We do have the case of two subsequent Lamans, but the very fact that it should be signaled specifically that these were names argues against the similarity.
Indeed, when Mosiah leaves the city of Nephi, he abandons the throne-name tradition. Perhaps the Lamanites had done so also, or never had developed the conception of the throne-name. In any event, it is clear that Laman was a venerated ancestor, as his name was passed on, and used in royal families. Surely no Nephite would have been named Laman nor Lemuel, and no Lamanite would have born the name Nephi.