Andrew — Meaning, Origin & Everything to Know

With Greek roots and the meaning 'manly, strong, courageous', Andrew rewards a closer look. Because it rests on Greek rather than passing fashion, Andrew carries a sense of history that many parents look for. As a son's name, Andrew suggests resilience, power and steadfastness and travels comfortably across languages. Part of the draw of Andrew is that it feels current without being invented, and meaningful without being heavy. Within the Greek world, Andrew sits in a tradition where names are steeped in mythology, philosophy and early Christianity, often carrying vivid, image-rich meanings. Read on for Andrew's full story: where it comes from, how it has been used, what it's thought to say about character, and how to pair it.

What Does the Name Andrew Mean?

At its core, Andrew carries the meaning 'manly, strong, courageous', rooted in Greek.

Historically, Andrew took shape among Greek speakers, for whom naming a son was an act of meaning. Across generations the meaning 'manly, strong, courageous' held firm while Andrew passed through families, migration and changing fashion.

Modern parents tend to hear Andrew as fresh rather than old-fashioned, with 'manly, strong, courageous' giving it a positive, aspirational edge. That mix of everyday wearability and real meaning is a large part of why Andrew found favour around the 2010s.

The imagery around Andrew is one of resilience, power and steadfastness, deepened by the Greek tradition behind it.

Origin & Etymology of Andrew

Greek · Greek

Trace Andrew back and you reach Greek and the meaning 'manly, strong, courageous'. In the Greek tradition names are steeped in mythology, philosophy and early Christianity, often carrying vivid, image-rich meanings, and Andrew fits squarely into that pattern. Andrew spread outward with migration, recognised now well beyond its Greek origin and worn across very different cultures. The story of Andrew is less one famous moment than steady, continuous use — handed down because it sounds good and means something worth keeping. In the present day Andrew manages to feel both rooted and effortless, which is much of its charm.

Andrew holds a meaningful place in the Greek tradition, its sense of resilience, power and steadfastness tied to long-standing cultural values. Andrew has travelled well, picked up by communities far from its roots without friction. You'll meet spelling and pronunciation variants of Andrew in different regions, but the core meaning of 'manly, strong, courageous' tends to survive the journey. That rooted-yet-portable quality is much of why Andrew is chosen by parents from such varied backgrounds.

How to Pronounce Andrew

AND-rew — Break Andrew into AND-rew and it falls into place. From Greek roots: vowels are open and clearly sounded.