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Why parents love Aubrey- Ruler of the elves is one of the most magical etymologies any name has.
- It shares a root with Oberon — king of the fairies in Shakespeare.
- Two syllables with a golden, open sound: AW-bree.
- It feels both vintage and modern — timeless in the truest sense.
- Drake showed it works for any gender — genuine versatility.
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The vibe of Aubrey
magicalgoldenfairy-taleelegantversatileregalwarmenchanting
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Origin & history of Aubrey
Germanic Alberich (elf ruler)
→ Norman French Aubri
→ English Aubrey
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Germanic roots
Aubrey traces back to the Germanic Alberich, meaning ruler of the elves — the same root that gives us Avery, Oberon, and the dwarf Alberich in Wagner's Ring Cycle. The Normans brought it to England as Aubri, and it was used as a male name for centuries. Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898) was a revolutionary Art Nouveau illustrator known for his darkly beautiful, often provocative drawings. The name's modern female usage began in the 1970s and accelerated sharply, entering the US girls' top 50 by 2010. Drake (born Aubrey Drake Graham) keeps the masculine heritage visible while the name thrives on the girls' charts.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Medieval England as a masculine name from the Norman French; female usage surged from the 2000s.
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Today
Aubrey remains a beloved choice, ranking #59 in the US. 162,498 babies have been named Aubrey since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
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How popular is Aubrey?
2012
peak year
Aubrey hit its high-water mark in 2012, when it became one of the country's most popular names — #15 nationally, with 8,059 babies given the name that year. The name has actually been around since 1880 — over a century — though it took until recently to find its widest audience. Since the peak, the name has settled at inside the top hundred (#59) today, averaging about 4,629 new babies per year. Aubrey has been declining in recent years. Across all years on record, approximately 162,498 American babies have carried this name.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
8,059
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #15)
(ranked #15)
4,629
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
46,290
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
162,498
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
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Numerology of Aubrey9
Life path number
The Humanitarian
Compassion, wisdom and humanitarianism.
Aubrey's Life Path 4 is the builder's number — a grounding force for a name with such ethereal origins. People named Aubrey tend to combine imagination with practicality, dreaming big while building carefully. They rule their small kingdoms with quiet competence.
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Imagination meets practicality✦
Builds carefully and dreams big◈
Rules quietly and well◎
Enchanting presence♡
Grounded despite ethereal spiritA1
U3
B2
R9
E5
Y7
Sum: 27 → Life path 9
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Personality of Aubrey🌍
Compassionate soul
They carry the weight of the world with grace.
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Richly creative
Deep feeling translates into deep art.
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Old soul wisdom
They've always seemed wiser than their years.
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Unconditional love
Their love is vast and forgiving.
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Famous people named AubreyClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
A
Drake
Global hip-hop superstar born Aubrey Drake Graham.
A
Aubrey Beardsley
Revolutionary Art Nouveau illustrator of the 1890s.
A
Aubrey Plaza
Actress and comedian known for Parks and Recreation and The White Lotus.
A
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons
Actress who played Lily Tucker-Pritchett on Modern Family.
A
Aubrey de Grey
Biomedical gerontologist known for research on aging.
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If you like Aubrey, you may also loveAvery
Shares the exact same Germanic root (Alberich, elf ruler).
Audrey
Same AW- opening sound with a different, equally classic pedigree.
Arya
Both feel magical and modern with ancient linguistic roots.
Emery
Same -ery ending with a different Germanic origin (industrious ruler).
Briar
Both carry fairy-tale associations — Briar Rose is Sleeping Beauty.
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Names that sound like AubreyIf you love Aubrey, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
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Names that combine with AubreySibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Aubrey.
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Middle names for AubreyThe right middle name turns Aubrey into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Aubrey? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Aubrey →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
Aubrey is a beautiful choice.
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