unisex name
Avery
AY-vuh-ree
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 3
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 261,229
the United States
#37
2025 births
Avery is a name of English origin meaning "elf counsel," derived from the Norman French form of the Germanic name Alberich. It began as a medieval surname and is now given to both girls and boys, though it has become substantially more common for girls in recent decades.
- Avery is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2014, when 11,861 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 516 babies in the United States is given this name.
- Avery started out as a boys' name and is now given almost entirely to girls.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Avery 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 | 132 |
| 1890s | 180 |
| 1900s | 213 |
| 1910s | 927 |
| 1920s | 1,256 |
| 1930s | 865 |
| 1940s | 874 |
| 1950s | 1,414 |
| 1960s | 1,975 |
| 1970s | 2,291 |
| 1980s | 3,830 |
| 1990s | 16,156 |
| 2000s | 57,562 |
| 2010s | 103,358 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 45,853 |
What Avery means
Avery means elf counsel or elf ruler, from the Germanic elements alf, elf, and ric, ruler, or rad, counsel. Elves in early Germanic belief were powerful supernatural beings rather than small ones, so the element signals otherworldly power rather than whimsy.
Where Avery comes from
Avery descends from Alberich, a Germanic name combining alf, meaning elf, with ric, meaning ruler or power. Alberich appears in Germanic legend as a dwarf-king guarding treasure, a figure Wagner later used in the Ring cycle. Norman French reshaped the name as Alveri and Avery, which entered England after the Conquest and hardened into a surname during the medieval period. Its modern life as a given name follows the general movement of English surnames into first-name use. Elves in early Germanic tradition were formidable rather than diminutive, so the name's sense is closer to supernatural authority than to anything delicate.
Avery in use
Elves in early Germanic belief were powerful and often dangerous, not the small figures of later folklore.
How popular is Avery?
In 2025, Avery was given to 6,423 babies in the United States, ranking #37 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Avery 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 Avery
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Avery also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Avery over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Avery
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.
Avery 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 Avery
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Avery — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Avery
What does the name Avery mean?
Avery means "elf counsel" or "elf ruler," from the Germanic name Alberich.
Is Avery a boy's or a girl's name?
Avery is used for both, though it has become considerably more common for girls in recent decades.
Was Avery originally a surname?
Yes. Avery was an English surname from the medieval period before becoming a given name.
How popular is the name Avery?
In 2025, Avery was given to 6,423 babies in the United States, ranking #37 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
How many syllables are in Avery?
Avery has 3 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Avery?
Avery is usually shortened to Ave.
Is Avery a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Avery currently ranks #37 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.