View source for Aubrey

{{Other uses}}
{{distinguish|Audrey}}
{{Infobox name
| name          = Aubrey
| image         = 
| image_size    = 
| caption       = 
| pronunciation = 
| meaning       = ruler of elves (masculine),<ref name="Hanks Hardcastle Hodges 2006">{{cite book |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |authorlink=Patrick Hanks |last2=Hardcastle |first2=Kate |last3=Hodges |first3=Flavia |title=A Dictionary of First Names |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] | series=Oxford paperback reference |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-19-861060-1 |oclc=67869278 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9nd05X_awIgC&pg=PT67 |page=67 |access-date=12 Oct 2023}}</ref> elf council (feminine)<ref name="E. G. Withycombe 1977">{{cite encyclopedia|author=[[E. G. Withycombe]] | title=The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names|date=1977 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press|Clarendon Press]] | location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-281213-1 |pages=10, 35 |edition=Third |url=https://archive.org/details/oxforddictionary0000with_a9b0/page/35/mode/2up |access-date=12 December 2023}}</ref>
| language      = English, French, German
| variant       = Aubree, Aubrie, [[Awbery]]<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Hanks|first1=Patrick|title=The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland|last2=Coates|first2=Richard|last3=McClure|first3=Peter|date=2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-252747-9|pages=98|language=en}}</ref>
| seealso       = 
| gender        = Unisex
}}

'''Aubrey''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɔː|b|ɹ|i}}) is a unisex [[English language|English]] name. It was common for men and women in the Middle Ages, but had lost favour for a time before experiencing a resurgence of popularity for men in the 19th century.<ref name="Hanks Hardcastle Hodges 2006" /><ref name="E. G. Withycombe 1977" />

In the [[United States]], following the 1973 release of the song [[Aubrey (song)|"Aubrey"]], by the band [[Bread (band)|Bread]], ''Aubrey'' began increasing in popularity as a given name for girls, potentially influenced by its similarity to ''[[Audrey]]''.<ref name="Hanks Hardcastle Hodges 2006" /><ref name="SSA Name Stats">{{cite web |url=https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/ |publisher=[[Social Security Administration]] | title=Popularity of a Name |access-date=2025-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Aubrey |url=https://www.behindthename.com/name/aubrey |last=Campbell |first=Michael D. |date=2022-12-07 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Behind the Name: the Etymology and History of First Names}}</ref> In 2023, ''Aubrey'' was the 101st most popular girls' name in the United States.<ref name="SSA Name Stats" />

==Etymology==
{{Wiktionary|Aubrey}}
The medieval masculine name ''Aubrey'' is from the [[Norman language|Norman French]] derivation ''[[Aubry]]'' of the [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] given name ''[[Alberic]]'' / [[Old High German]] given name ''[[Alberich]]'',<ref>[[Albert Dauzat]] (préface de [[Marie-Thérèse Morlet]]), ''Noms et prénoms de France'', éditions Larousse 1980, p. 14b.</ref> which consists of the elements ''alb'' 'elf' and ''ric'' 'power' or 'ruler',<ref name="Hanks Hardcastle Hodges 2006" /><ref>{{Cite book |title=Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary |year=1996 |pages=15 |publisher=Genealogical Publishing Com |isbn=978-0-8063-0171-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0kc60WqxYK4C&pg=PA15 |editor-last=Harrison |editor-first=Henry |orig-date=1912 |editor-last2=Harrison |editor-first2=Gyda Pulling}}</ref> Before being largely replaced by ''Aubrey'' after the [[Norman Conquest]] of England, the Anglo-Saxons used the native form [[Ælfric|''Ælfrīc'']].<ref name="Hanks Hardcastle Hodges 2006" />

The medieval feminine name "Aubrey" was independently derived from the [[Norman language|Norman French]] derivation of the Germanic name ''Albreda'', which consists of the elements ''alb'' 'elf' and ''radi'' 'council', it had fallen out of use entirely by the 15th century.<ref name="E. G. Withycombe 1977" /> The form ''Aubrée'' was common in Normandy pre-conquest.<ref>{{cite book |author=[[Auguste Longnon]] | title=Les noms de lieu de la France; leur origine, leur signification, leurs transformations |volume=2 |date=1929 |publisher=[[:fr:Éditions Honoré Champion|Éditions Champion]] | location=[[Paris]] | page=483 |url=https://archive.org/details/lesnomsdelieudel02long/page/143/mode/1up|access-date=12 December 2023 |language=French}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=François de Beaurepaire |title=Les noms des communes et anciennes paroisses de l'Eure |date=1981 |publisher=[[:fr:Éditions Picard|Éditions Picard]] | location=[[Paris]] | isbn=9782708400672 |page=123 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sGcfAAAAMAAJ&q=Albereda |access-date=12 December 2023 |language=French}}</ref>

== People ==
=== Surname ===
* [[Andrew Aubrey]], Lord Mayor of London in 1339, 1340, and 1351
* [[Anne Aubrey]] (born 1935), English actress
* [[Brandon Aubrey]] (born 1995), American soccer player and American football placekicker
* [[Emlyn Aubrey]] (born 1964), US golfer
<!--*[[Frank Aubrey]] (1840–1927), British novelist-->
* Various persons named [[James Aubrey (disambiguation)|James Aubrey]]
* Various persons named [[John Aubrey (disambiguation)|John Aubrey]]
* [[Juliet Aubrey]] (born 1966), English actress
* [[Matthew Aubrey]] (born 1997), Welsh rugby union player
* [[Michael Aubrey]] (born 1982), American baseball player
* [[Sam Aubrey]] (1922–2008), American basketball player and coach
* [[Sarah Aubrey]], Australian actress
* [[Stuart Aubrey]] (born 1990), Australian politician
* [[William Aubrey]] (died 1595), Welsh lawyer, judge and politician
* [[William Aubrey (engineer)]] (1759–1827), Welsh engineer

=== Given name ===
==== Pre-nineteenth century ====
* [[Aubrey (archbishop of Reims)]], Archbishop of Reims from 1207 to 1218
* [[Aubrey de Coucy]], Earl of Northumbria from 1080 to about 1086
* [[Aubrey de Troisfontaines]] (died c. 1250), French chronicler of the 13th century
* [[Aubrey de Vere I]] (died c. 1110), 11th-century Anglo-Norman knight
* [[Aubrey de Vere II]] (c. 1080–1141), 12th-century Lord Great Chamberlain of England
* [[Aubrey de Vere III]] (c. 1115–94), first Earl of Oxford
* [[Aubrey de Vere IV]] (c. 1170–1214), second Earl of Oxford
* [[Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford]] (c. 1338–1400)
* [[Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford]] (1627–1703), Royalist during the Civil War
* [[Aubrey of Buonalbergo]] (c. 1030–1122), first wife of Robert Guiscard

==== Nineteenth century ====
* [[Aubrey Beardsley]] (1872–1898), English artist, illustrator, and author
* [[Aubrey Beauclerk, 5th Duke of St Albans]] (1740–1802), British landowner
* [[Aubrey Beauclerk, 6th Duke of St Albans]] (1765–1815), English aristocrat and politician
* [[Vere Hunt|Aubrey de Vere Hunt]] (1761–1818), Irish politician, landowner and businessman
* [[Sir Aubrey de Vere, 2nd Baronet]] (1788–1846), Irish baronet
* [[Aubrey Spencer]] (1795–1872), English Anglican bishop
* [[Aubrey Thomas de Vere]] (1814–1902), Irish poet

==== Modern era ====
* [[Aubrey Abbott]] (1886–1975), Australian politician
* [[Aubrey Aitken]] (1911–1985), English Anglican bishop
* [[Aubrey Anderson-Emmons]] (born 2007), American actress
* [[Aubrey Ankrum]] (born 1972), American screenwriter, animator and actor
* [[Aubrey Baartman]] (born 1958), South African politician
* [[Aubrey Beavers]] (born 1971), American football player
* [[Aubrey Begg]] (1929–1988), New Zealand politician
* [[A. Aubrey Bodine]] (1906–1970), American photographer
* [[Aubrey Boomer]] (1897–1989), Jersey golfer
* [[Aubrey Brain]] (1893–1955), British horn player and teacher
* [[Aubrey Burks]] (born 2002), American football player
* [[Aubrey Burl]] (1926–2020), British archaeologist
* [[Aubrey Buxton, Baron Buxton of Alsa]] (1918–2009), British soldier and television executive
* [[Aubrey Casewell]] (1909–1974), Welsh rugby league footballer
* [[Dit Clapper|Aubrey "Dit" Clapper]] (1907–1978), Canadian hockey player
* [[Aubrey Coleman]] (born 1987), American basketball player
* [[Aubrey Cottle]], Canadian hacker
* [[Aubrey Coverley]] (1895–1953), Australian politician
* [[Aubrey David]] (born 1990), Guyanese-Trinidadian international footballer
* [[Aubrey Dawkins]] (born 1995), American basketball player
* [[Aubrey Dexter]] (1898–1958), British actor
* [[Aubrey Devine]] (1897–1981), American football player
* [[Aubrey W. Dirlam]] (1913–1995), American politician
* [[Aubrey Dollar]] (born 1980), American actress
* Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban (1915–2002), the birth name of Israeli diplomat [[Abba Eban]]
* [[Aubrey Edwards]] (born 1987), American video game developer and wrestling referee
* [[Aubrey Faulkner]] (1881–1930), South African cricketer
* [[Aubrey Fitch]] (1883–1978), American admiral
* [[Aubrey David]] (born 1990), Guyanese footballer
* [[Aubrey de Grey]] (born 1963), English gerontologist
* [[Aubrey de Sélincourt]] (1894–1962), English classicist
* [[Aubrey Dunn Jr.]], American politician
* [[Aubrey Ellwood]] (1897–1992), British Royal Air Force commander
* [[Aubrey Fitzgerald]] (1874–1968), British actor
* [[Aubrey Fowler]] (1920–1996), American football player
* Aubrey Drake Graham (born 1986), birth name of Canadian musician, actor, and entrepreneur [[Drake (musician)|Drake]]
* [[Aubrey Givens]] (1912–1983), American football and basketball coach
* [[G. Aubrey Goodman]] (1862–1921), Barbadian barrister and politician
* [[Aubrey Gordon]] (born 1983), "Your Fat Friend", author, podcaster, and activist
* [[Aubrey Griffin]] (born 2001), American basketball player
* [[Aubrey Haynie]] (born 1974), American bluegrass musician
* [[Aubrey Herbert]] (1880–1923), British colonel and diplomat
* [[Aubrey Hodges]] (born 1966), American musician
* [[Aubrey Huff]] (born 1976), American baseball player
* [[Aubrey Kelly]], American football coach
* [[Aubrey Koch]] (1904–1975), Australian pilot
* [[Aubrey Kingsbury]] (born 1991), American soccer player
* [[Aub Lawson|Aubrey "Aub" Lawson]] (1914–1977), Australian speedway rider
* [[Aubrey Layne]] (born 1956), American government official
* [[Aubrey Lewis]] (1900–1975), Australian psychiatrist
* [[Aubrey Lyles]] (1883–1932), African-American performer and lyricist with FE Miller as "Miller and Lyles"
* [[Aubrey Jones]] (1911–2003), British politician
* [[Aubrey Joseph]] (born 1997), American rapper and actor
* [[Aubrey Luck]] (1900–1999), Australian politician
* [[Aubrey Lyles]] (1884–1932), American vaudeville performer
* [[Aubrey Mallalieu]] (1873–1948), English actor
* [[Aubrey Manning]] (1930–2018), English zoologist and broadcaster
* [[Aubrey Mather]] (1885–1958), English actor
* [[Aubrey McClendon]] (1959–2016) American businessman, oil and natural gas pioneer
* [[Aubrey McDade]] (born 1981), United States Marine
* [[Aubrey McDonald]] (born 1988), South African rugby union player
* [[Aubrey Matthews]] (born 1962), American football player
* [[Aubrey Miles]] (born 1980), Filipina actress
* [[Aubrey Miller Jr.]] (born 1999), American football player
* [[Aubrey Morris]] (1926–2015), English actor
* [[Aubrey Modiba]] (born 1995), South African soccer player
* [[Aubrey Nealon]] (born 1971), Canadian film and television director, producer and writer
* [[Aubrey Newman]] (1904–1994), American general
* [[Aubrey Newman (historian)]] (born 1927) British historian
* [[Aubrey Ngoma]] (born 1989), South African footballer
* [[Aubrey Nunn]] (born 1966), British bass guitarist, member of Faithless
* [[Aubrey J. O'Brien]] (1870–1930), British soldier and writer on India
* [[Aubrey O'Day]] (born 1984), American singer
* [[Aubrey Peeples]] (born 1993), American actress and singer
* [[Aubrey Plaza]] (born 1984), American actress
* [[Aubrey Pleasant]], American football coach
* [[Aubrey Powell (disambiguation)]], several people
* [[Aubrey Reese]] (born 1978), American basketball player
* [[Aubrey Richards]] (1920–2000), Welsh actor
* [[Aubrey Richmond]] (1957–2025), Guyanese cyclist
* [[Aubrey Robinson (disambiguation)]], several people
* [[Aubrey Schenck]] (1908–1999), American film producer
* [[Aubrey Scotto]] (1895–1953), American film director
* [[Aubrey Sherrod]] (born 1962), American basketball player
* [[Aubrey Simons]] (1921–2014), English table tennis player
* [[Aubrey Smith (disambiguation)]], several people
* [[Aubrey Strahan]] (1852–1928), British geologist
* [[Aubrey Suwito]], Malaysian musician
* [[Aubrey Swanepoel]] (born 1989), South African cricketer
* [[W. Aubrey Thomas]] (1866–1951), American scientist and politician
* [[Aubrey Willard]] (1894–1961), Australian tennis player
* [[Aubrey Williams (disambiguation)]], several people
* [[Aubrey Wisberg]] (1909–1990), British–American filmmaker
* [[Aubrey Woods]] (1928–2013), British actor

=== Fictional characters ===
* [[Jack Aubrey]], one of the protagonists from Patrick O'Brian's [[Aubrey–Maturin series]]
* [[Aubrey Valentine]], in the popular BBC soap opera ''[[EastEnders]]''
* Aubrey, the principal character of the 1980 eponymous ITV cartoon series ''[[Aubrey (1980 TV series)|Aubrey]]''
* Aubrey, a main vampire in the novel ''[[Demon in My View]]'' by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
* Aubrey James, the antagonist of ''[[Stroker Ace]]'', a 1983 action comedy film
* Aubrey, the narrator and main character of ''[[The Vampyre]]'' by [[John Polidori]]
* Aubrey Posen, one of the main characters in the 2012 film ''[[Pitch Perfect]]''
* Aubrey Aubergine, one of the ''[[Munch Bunch]]''
* Aubrey Flemming, protagonist of the 2007 [[psychological thriller]] ''[[I Know Who Killed Me]]'', portrayed by [[Lindsay Lohan|Lindsey Lohan]]
* Aubrey deLint, a character from [[David Foster Wallace]]'s ''[[Infinite Jest]]''
* Aubrey Little, a character played by [[Travis McElroy]] in ''[[The Adventure Zone]]''
* Aubrey Le Camenbear, on [[Danger Mouse (2015 TV series)|Danger Mouse]] episode "Cheesemageddeon", played by [[Ben Diskin]]
* ''[[Aubrey (song)|Aubrey]]'', a song written by [[David Gates]] and originally released on the 1972 [[Bread (band)|Bread]] album ''[[Guitar Man (Bread album)|Guitar Man]]''
* [[Boycie|Aubrey Boyce]], one of [[Del Boy]]'s friends in the [[BBC]] sitcom, [[Only Fools and Horses]]
* Aubrey, a character in the 2020 [[Horror game#Psychological horror|psychological horror]] [[role-playing video game]] ''[[OMORI]]''
* Queen Aubri, was the loving wife of King William and late mother of the title character of ''[[The Swan Princess]]'' [[The Swan Princess (film series)|movie series]], who had died from [[Childbed fever|child-bed fever]] three decades ago.

== See also ==
{{canned search}}
{{srt}}
* [[Alberic]]
* [[Audrey]]
* [[Aubry]]
* [[Oberon]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Given name|type=both}}

[[Category:English feminine given names]]
[[Category:English given names]]
[[Category:English unisex given names]]
[[Category:Feminine given names]]
[[Category:Given names derived from surnames]]