Audrey Name Meaning

Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Audrey.

Published on July 8, 2024

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

Audrey is a beautiful, classic, sophisticated name that's still unique enough to feel fresh and fun. It's also imbued with plenty of movie star glam thanks to Audrey Hepburn. Additionally, it's an "A" name for those who are looking for a name that starts with the vowel or a letter at the beginning of the alphabet. It also doesn't tend to get shortened to a nickname as often as most names.

Audrey, a well-known English name, originated from the Anglo-Norman words for "noble" and "strength." Related meanings of the name include "supernatural power" and "honorable." It is also related to the Anglo-Saxon names Aethelthryth, Ethelreda/Ethelred, and Eltheldreda/Etheldred.

Origin: Audrey is an English name meaning "noble strength."
Gender: Audrey is most commonly used as a girl name.
Pronunciation: aw-dree

Editor's Note

Although baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It's important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

How Popular Is the Name Audrey?

While numerous similarly classic, old-fashioned baby names such as Olivia, Ava, Amelia, Charlotte, and Evelyn have soared in the popularity charts, Audrey hasn't yet broken the top 30. However, since 1982, Audrey has consistently been in the top 200 most popular girl names.

In 2002, Audrey broke back into the top 100 for the first time since 1940 and peaked in 2013 when the name was the No. 33 most frequently used girl name. In 2023, Audrey ranked as the No. 74 most popular name for girls in America.

Name Variations

The following are variations and related names of the name Audrey:

Addie
Aldred
Audra
Audre
Audrea
Dre
Drea
Drey
Ethel

Similar Names

Similar sounding names to Audrey include:

Adele
Dorothy
Octave
Octavia
Olive
Olivia
Oscar

Other girl names starting with "A" include:

Addison
Alison
Amber
Amberlyn
Amy
Aubrey
August
Austin

Common Nicknames for Audrey

While Audreys often get called by their full name, there are some common nicknames they can be called, including:

Aud
Auddie
Dree
Drea

Suggested Sibling Names

Great options for a sibling name for Audrey include:

Alexander
Benjamin
Bette
Chris
Edmund
Elizabeth
Emily
Hank
John
Louisa
Michael
Noah
Sarah
Violet
Walter

Famous People Named Audrey

The most famous person named Audrey is the Hollywood Golden Age screen icon Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn's grace, style, charm, and elegance will long be associated with this name in American culture. But there are many other notable Audreys from modern times and throughout history as well, including:

Audrey Flack, American artist known for her paintings, sculpture, and work in photorealism
Audrey Kitching, American model, fashion designer, and blogger
Audrey Meadows, American TV actress who played housewife Alice Kramden on the 1950s hit sitcom The Honeymooners
Audrey Tautou, French actress most famous for her star turn in the 2001 film Amélie
Etheldred Anna Maria Benett, a prominent, pioneering late 18th to early 19th-century geologist
St. Audrey (also known as St. Etheldreda), the saint of neck and throat complaints who was a popular saint in the Middle Ages

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options:

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Sources

Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.