BabyNameScore

Audrey

AW·dree · 2 syllables

Audrey is easy for English speakers to say and spell correctly on first read.

87/100

Strong Practical Fit

Balanced across pronunciation, everyday use, lifetime fit and international use.

Name Profile

  1. Pronunciation & Spelling

    Effortless

    A documented English pronunciation is on file: AW-dree.

    91/100

  2. Everyday Use

    Low risk

    Shortens naturally in everyday use, to one established short form.

    95/100

  3. Growing Up

    Strong lifetime fit

    Works comfortably across child and adult settings.

    82/100

  4. International Use

    Broad international fit

    Works cleanly across the assessed languages and writing systems.

    85/100

NAME DETAILS

COMMON FORMS
Audra
CLOSE SPELLINGS
Audry
Audre
ORIGIN & HISTORY

About the name

Audrey traces to a genuine Anglo-Saxon royal saint, Æthelthryth of Ely (d. 679), by way of a medieval diminutive form — and then took an unusual linguistic detour: the cheap lace sold at fairs held in her honor gave the English language the word "tawdry," which is credited with contributing to the given name's decline in the later Middle Ages. Its 19th-century revival and especially its mid-20th-century association with Audrey Hepburn restored it to a name read as elegant rather than lowly.

  1. Æðelþryð (Old English). A medieval diminutive of the Anglo-Saxon name Æðelþryð (Æthelthryth), from Old English elements meaning "noble" and "strength." Audrey is a medieval diminutive of Æðelþryð (Æthelthryth), the name of a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon saint and princess of East Anglia who founded a monastery at Ely. The name's popularity notably declined during the later Middle Ages, linked to its association with the English word "tawdry", before undergoing a substantial revival in the 19th century that continued into the 20th century, reinforced by actress Audrey Hepburn's mid-20th-century fame.
  2. Mythological and religious contextAudrey's root name-saint, Æthelthryth (also known by her Latinized name Etheldreda, d. 679), was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess of East Anglia who founded the monastery at Ely and is venerated as a saint. In an unusual linguistic side effect of her cult, the English word "tawdry" derives from "St. Audrey's lace," the cheap, low-quality lace sold at fairs held in her honor (St. Audrey's Fair) — meaning the saint's own popular nickname-form eventually gave rise to a word for shoddy showiness, a documented factor in the given name's medieval decline.
POPULARITY

Audrey over time

United States
#86RANK

Rank #86 gives national context, not a classroom forecast.

Recognizable without feeling automatic. Ranked #86 in the U.S., 2025.

SourceU.S. Social Security Administration · 2025 release

Pronunciation & Forms

SAY IT

AW·dree

STRESS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE

COMMON FORMS
  • Audra
CLOSE SPELLINGS
  • Audry
  • Audre
OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS
  • Æðelþryð / Æthelthryth (Old English original form)
  • EtheldredaLatinized medieval form
PRACTICAL LIFE

How This Name Lives

AT SCHOOL & DAY TO DAY

Familiar, classic-sounding, and easy for young children to say, with a long track record of steady use rather than being a recent coinage.

INTO ADULTHOOD

Strongly associated with elegance and poise via Audrey Hepburn, Audrey carries a sophisticated, timeless register well suited to adult and professional contexts.

Cultural Footprint

A name with genuine Anglo-Saxon royal-saint pedigree that experienced a documented medieval decline tied to an unusual linguistic side effect before its 19th-century and later revivals.

TRACEABLE ORIGIN
  1. Audrey Hepburnactress
  2. Saint Æthelthryth/Etheldreda of Ely7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess-saint
  3. Audrey Tautouactress
  4. AudreyAs You Like It, Shakespeare

Community Impressions

Audrey traces back to a real 7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess-saint, Æthelthryth of Ely, by way of a medieval diminutive — and along the way gave English speakers an unexpected gift: the word 'tawdry,' from the cheap lace sold at fairs held in her honor, which is credited with contributing to the name's medieval decline. Its modern identity is shaped almost entirely by actress Audrey Hepburn, whose mid-20th-century fame restored the name to an image of poise and elegance rather than the shoddy showiness her own saintly nickname once lent to the English language.

How this name is commonly received · not used in the score

More about Audrey

FORMALITY

Functions as a complete standalone name in both formal and informal contexts; Audra is an occasional variant rather than a true diminutive.

Names around it

Aubrey
EDITORIAL SYNTHESIS

The Decision

Audrey is spelled without unusual letter patterns, and it holds up in everyday use. Surname-dependent compatibility remains unassessed until a surname is added.

STRENGTH

A documented English pronunciation is on file. Uses standard characters that systems widely handle cleanly.

BEST FIT

Everyday Use is the strongest-scoring part of this name — no obvious nickname traps, rhymes, or initial issues detected.

FULL-NAME CHECK

See how it works with a surname.

Audrey