Aubrey
Meaning
from Alberic, "elf ruler"; originally masculine, now mostly feminine
The story
Aubrey descends from Alberic, a Germanic name meaning elf ruler, carried into England by the Normans and worn for centuries almost entirely by men; in American records it held a modest, mostly male presence for the better part of a century. Its turn toward girls is often traced to the soft 1972 ballad Aubrey by the band Bread, after which daughters named Aubrey began appearing in real numbers; the timing lines up, though no one can prove a song did it. The name then rode the modern fashion for vowel-soft girls' names alongside Audrey and Avery, peaking in the 2010s. In a neat twist, its most famous male bearer today is Aubrey Drake Graham, known to the world simply as Drake. Elf ruler is a meaning few parents go hunting for, but it suits: something small, quick, and quietly in charge.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Aubrey peaked in the 2010s.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
29 people · the #96,655 first name in Brazil · median age 38
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Aubrey
Most people given the name Aubrey in the United States are children or teenagers today. The name belongs to this generation.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Aubrey deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Aubrey truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Aubrey fits with your family’s names and surname.
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