| Gender | Unisex |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | English, French, German |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | King of the elves[1] |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Aubree, Aubrie, Awbery[2] |
Aubrey (/ˈɔːbri/) is a traditionally male English name. It was quite common in the Middle Ages, but had lost favour for a time before experiencing a resurgence of popularity in the 19th century.[1][3]
Starting in the United States in the late 20th century, Aubrey began to be commonly used as a given name for girls, potentially transferred from its usage as a surname and/or influenced by Audrey.[1] In 2022, Aubrey was the 81st most popular girls' name in the United States.[4]
Aubrey is from the Norman French derivation Aubry of the Germanic given name Alberic / Old High German given name Alberich,[5] which consists of the elements alb 'elf' and ric 'power' or 'ruler' ,[1][6] Before being largely replaced by Aubrey after the Norman Conquest of England, the Anglo-Saxons used the native form Ælfrīc.[1]
The mediaeval feminine name Aubrée, independently derived from the Germanic name Alberada, was common in Normandy and Post-Conquest England.[7][8] However, it had fallen out of use entirely by the 15th century and appears to be unconnected with modern usage of Aubrey.[3]
