boy's name
Andrew
AN-droo
- Origin Greek
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 1,445,709
the United States
#73
2025 births
Andrew is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "manly" or "brave," from andreios, from aner, a man. He is the first apostle called in John's gospel and is the patron saint of Scotland, Greece and Russia.
- Andrew is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 1987, when 36,429 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 736 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Andrew over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 6,063 |
| 1890s | 5,729 |
| 1900s | 6,277 |
| 1910s | 28,281 |
| 1920s | 36,204 |
| 1930s | 25,204 |
| 1940s | 34,768 |
| 1950s | 61,181 |
| 1960s | 97,502 |
| 1970s | 133,592 |
| 1980s | 286,782 |
| 1990s | 273,620 |
| 2000s | 202,983 |
| 2010s | 105,220 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 31,009 |
What Andrew means
Andrew means manly, courageous or strong, from the Greek aner, meaning man in the sense of an adult male. The same root gives English android and misandry, and appears in Alexander, defender of men.
Where Andrew comes from
Andrew comes from the Greek Andreas, from andreios, manly, from aner, a man. Notably, it is a purely Greek name borne by a Jewish apostle, reflecting how thoroughly Greek had penetrated first-century Galilee. Andrew is Peter's brother and, in John's account, the first to follow Jesus. He became patron saint of an unusually wide spread of countries — Scotland, Greece, Russia, Ukraine and Romania — and the Scottish flag, the saltire, represents the diagonal cross on which he is traditionally said to have been crucified. The name has been continuously used in English since the medieval period.
Andrew in use
The Scottish saltire represents the diagonal cross of Saint Andrew's traditional martyrdom.
How popular is Andrew?
In 2025, Andrew was given to 4,503 babies in the United States, ranking #73 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Andrew is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Andrew
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Andrew also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Andrew over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Andrew
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Andrew in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Andrew
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Andrew — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Andrew
What does the name Andrew mean?
Andrew means "manly" or "brave," from the Greek aner, a man.
Who was Saint Andrew?
Peter's brother and an apostle, patron saint of Scotland, Greece, Russia and others.
Why is the Scottish flag a diagonal cross?
It represents the cross on which Saint Andrew is traditionally said to have been martyred.
How popular is the name Andrew?
In 2025, Andrew was given to 4,503 babies in the United States, ranking #73 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Andrew a girl's or a boy's name?
Andrew is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Andrew?
Andrew has 2 syllables.
When was Andrew most popular?
Andrew peaked in 1987, when 36,429 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Andrew?
Andrew is usually shortened to Andy and Drew.
Is Andrew a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Andrew currently ranks #73 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.