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Name at a glance

Andrew

Andrew is a Greek name often connected with courage, manliness, or strength.

Ranked #73 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #5 in 1988, declining over the past 5 years.

Andrew is remembered as one of Jesus' first disciples, the brother of Peter, and a name with long apostolic and missionary resonance in Christian tradition.

Browse names
OriginGreek
GenderBoy
FeelApostolic
PronunciationAN-droo

Is Andrew biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Andrew is a named person in Scripture, one of the twelve apostles and brother of Simon Peter.

Is Andrew a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Andrew has deep Christian use as an apostle and saint, patron of Scotland and Russia, honored in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican tradition.

Plain answer

Andrew is a biblical name, one of the twelve apostles, with deep and longstanding use across major Christian traditions.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Andrew

Andrew comes from Greek roots associated with manliness or courage. In Christian naming, the biblical association matters more than the bare etymology: Andrew is a disciple name connected with following Jesus and bringing others to him.

Apostle

Andrew in the New Testament

Andrew appears in the Gospels as the brother of Simon Peter. He is among the first disciples called by Jesus, leaving fishing behind to follow him.

In John's Gospel, Andrew is also remembered for bringing people toward Jesus. He tells Peter about the Messiah and later appears in scenes where people are being introduced to Jesus.

Christian tradition

A name of discipleship and witness

Andrew's Christian meaning is shaped by discipleship. The name suggests response, invitation, and a willingness to follow before every question is answered.

Because Andrew has been used across many Christian cultures, it feels both biblical and broadly traditional. Drew gives it a lighter everyday form.

Sound

How to pronounce Andrew

Phonetic
AN-droo
IPA
/ˈændɹuː/

2 syllables · stress: AN-droo · ends in a vowel

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Andreas
  • Andre
  • Andrei
  • Andres
  • Andrey

Short forms and nicknames

  • Andy
  • Drew

Languages

Andrew in other languages

Greek
ἈνδρέαςAndreas
Latin
Andreas
Spanish
Andrés
French
André
German
Andreas
Italian
Andrea
Russian
АндрейAndrey
Polish
Andrzej
Portuguese
André

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Andrew has deep Christian use through the apostle and later saintly tradition. He is especially important in Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, and Scottish Christian memory.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Andrew is one of the twelve apostles, Peter's brother, and one of the first disciples called by Jesus.

Bearers

Notable people named Andrew

  • biblical

    Andrew the ApostleBrother of Simon Peter and one of the Twelve, traditionally venerated as patron of Scotland and Russia

  • historical

    Andrew JacksonSeventh president of the United States, 1767 to 1845

  • historical

    Andrew CarnegieScottish-American steel industrialist and philanthropist, 1835 to 1919

  • historical

    Andrew WyethAmerican realist painter, 1917 to 2009

  • modern

    Andrew Lloyd WebberEnglish composer of Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and Evita, born 1948

Saint

Saint Andrew the Apostle

Traditions
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican
Patron of
Scotland, Russia, Greece, Romania, Ukraine, Cyprus, fishermen

Saint Andrew is the patron of Scotland; the saltire on the Scottish flag is the diagonal cross on which tradition says he was martyred at Patras in Achaea.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Andrew has remained familiar in English-speaking Christian families for centuries. It is biblical without sounding unusual, and forms like Andreas and Andre connect it to wider European usage.

Recent US use

Andrew in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#73
Peak rank
#5 in 1988
Recent trend
declining over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Andrew

For a Christian family, Andrew is a steady apostolic name with a friendly sound. It may suit parents who want a classic New Testament name that feels mature but not severe.

Common questions

What does Andrew mean?

Andrew is usually connected with Greek roots meaning manly, courageous, or strong.

Is Andrew a biblical name?

Yes. Andrew is one of the twelve apostles.

Is Drew a nickname for Andrew?

Yes. Drew is the most common English short form of Andrew.

Sources

Sources for Andrew

  • A Greek-English Lexicon, Liddell, Scott, and JonesSupports: Greek etymology; roots of manliness or courage.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Andrew the Apostle; patron of Scotland and Russia; one of the Twelve.
  • General Roman Calendar, feast of Saint Andrew (November 30)Supports: feast day (November 30).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

PaulThe other major missionary apostle name; together Andrew and Paul anchor the early missionary church.JamesAnother of the Twelve; Andrew, James, and John are the first four called in the Synoptic Gospels.JohnThe disciple Andrew was with when Jesus passed by in John 1:35-40; both were John the Baptist's disciples before following Jesus.MatthewAnother of the Twelve and Gospel author; Matthew 4 records Andrew's call alongside Peter at the Sea of Galilee.