Aubrey

AWB-ree

English from French version of German Alberic

"elf ruler"

Aubrey Origin and Meaning

The name Aubrey is a girl's name of French, English origin meaning "elf ruler".

Almost like a fusion between vintage Audrey, bubbly Ruby, and unisex Avery, Aubrey has been a popular choice for girls since the mid 2000’s.

Once an exclusively masculine name, Aubrey tipped towards feminine in 1974, and is now given to girls 96% of the time.

Derived from the Old French name Auberi, a variant of Alberich, Aubrey means “elf ruler” or “elf king.”

It was a common name for men in England during the Middle Ages and it saw a revival in the 19th century, with the artist and illustrator Aubrey Beardsley being a notable bearer. Across the pond in the US, it remained in the Top 400 for boys until the 50’s.

Its shift into a mostly feminine name has been accredited to the release of the song “Aubrey” by the rock group Bread in 1972. Before the song was released, less than 10 girls were given the name every year, however, by 1973, it was in the Top 1000.

David Gates, leader and music producer of the group. wrote the song after watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey Hepburn, and it is likely that Aubrey stuck around due to its similarity to the cozy-but-stylish name of the actress.

Besides the song, Aubrey might also be seen as following in the footsteps of names like Kelly, Leslie, Lindsay, and Shelby, historically masculine but used more often for girls from the 1940’s onwards.

One of the most prominent bearers today is Aubrey Plaza, the deadpan comic actress and breakout star of the show Parks & Recreation. Child actress Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, TV Host Aubrey Miles and soccer player Aubrey Kingsbury are other notable wearers.

In recent years, the once Top 20 name has seen a decline in popularity however, with newer entries such as Quinn, Aurora, and Emery rising to take its place. Nevertheless, Aubrey is climbing up the charts in England and Wales and is still given to 3000 babies in the US every year.

Are you interested in Aubrey but still wanting to explore other options? You could consider Indigo, Ashby, Darby, Darcy, August, or Libby.

Aubrey Popularity

• 81 US 2022
• 457 Nameberry 2024
• 214 England 2021
• 120 Canada 2022