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The short answer
Aubrey is an English name that Behind the Name traces to "Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich brought to England by the Normans". It is pronounced AWB-ree. Historically a masculine name, it "was common in the Middle Ages, and was revived in the 19th century". Behind the Name explains that "since the mid-1970s it has more frequently been given to girls, due to Bread's 1972 song Aubrey, along with its similarity to the established feminine name Audrey". In the United States it ranked #146 for girls in 2025 and did not appear in the boys' top ranks used for this profile. Aubree, Aubrie and Aubrielle are listed variants.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name derives Aubrey from Auberi, an Old French form of the Germanic name Alberich, and lists the root elements as alb + rih/rik. The entry does not gloss those elements, and the Alberich entry was not consulted in this pass, so no meaning is asserted here beyond the derivation. The name came to England with the Normans, was common in the Middle Ages and was revived in the 19th century. Related forms listed include Alberich and Alberic (Germanic), Alberico (Italian), Auberon and Oberon (literature), Elric (medieval English), Ælfric (Anglo-Saxon), Albarīks (Old Germanic) and Alfríkr (Old Norse).
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Old French | Auberi | form of Alberich |
| Germanic | Alberich (alb + rih/rik) | elements listed by Behind the Name; gloss not verified in this pass |
Popularity
Aubrey ranked #146 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Behind the Name records the shift in gender usage: from the mid-1970s the name has more often been given to girls, which it attributes to Bread's 1972 song "Aubrey" and to the name's resemblance to Audrey. Behind the Name labels the name masculine and feminine; the 2025 SSA data used here shows only a girls' rank.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #146 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: Aubree, Aubrie, Aubrielle
Related names: Alberich, Alberic, Alberico, Auberon, Oberon, Elric, Ælfric, Auberi, Audrey
What the name feels like
Aubrey has a soft, two-syllable sound that sits comfortably beside Audrey and Avery, which helps explain its modern reading as a girls' name in the United States. Its Norman and Germanic pedigree gives it more history than its current usage suggests, and it still reads as masculine to many in Britain.
Style tags: two syllables, vintage revival, gender shift, Norman heritage, soft consonants
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact. Behind the Name lists no nicknames for Aubrey; the association with Avery is an editorial sound comparison, whereas the link to Audrey is Behind the Name's own observation.
If you like this name
Names that share Aubrey's sound, its Germanic ancestry or its modern surname-and-vintage feel.
Similar by sound
Similar by origin
- Alberic
- Oberon
- Auberon
- Elric
Similar by style
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Aubrey mean?
Aubrey comes from Auberi, an Old French form of the Germanic name Alberich, brought to England by the Normans. Behind the Name lists its elements as alb and rih/rik; their meaning was not verified for this profile.
Is Aubrey a girl's name or a boy's name?
Both. Behind the Name labels it masculine and feminine and says it was more common for boys until the mid-1970s, when Bread's 1972 song "Aubrey" and its similarity to Audrey pushed it toward girls. In 2025 SSA data it ranked #146 for girls.
What are alternative spellings of Aubrey?
Behind the Name lists Aubree, Aubrie and Aubrielle as variants of Aubrey.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Aubrey — supports etymology, pronunciation, variants, related names, gender history, Bread song note.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity, genderUsage.
