Given name & surname
Andy
“manly; a warrior”·“manliness”·“virility”
In English use, Andy is a diminutive of Andrew. One Greek interpretation is “manly; a warrior.” In English use, Andy is a diminutive of Andrea. For the English feminine name, one alternative theory points to Greek andreia, “manliness” or “virility.” This is a proposed route of formation, not a settled translation covering every use of Andrea.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Andy is a diminutive of Andrew. One Greek interpretation is “manly; a warrior.” In English use, Andy is a diminutive of Andrea. For the English feminine name, one alternative theory points to Greek andreia, “manliness” or “virility.” This is a proposed route of formation, not a settled translation covering every use of Andrea.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Andy is a diminutive of Andrew. An origin associated with Andrew is Greek. In English use, Andy is a diminutive of Andrea. Italian Andrea is the equivalent of Andrew. English feminine Andrea is usually connected with Andreas, though an independent English creation from a Greek word has also been proposed.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Andy is a diminutive of Andrew. Andy is an affectionate form of Andrew. In English use, Andy is a diminutive of Andrea. The shared background comes through Andrea: The Italian and English traditions should be read separately. The English name may be a feminine adaptation of Andreas; another explanation treats it as a learned coinage from andreia. The evidence does not establish one route with certainty.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Andy is a diminutive of Andrea. The history of Andrea gives this family its wider story. The English feminine name is documented from the seventeenth century rather than the Middle Ages. That later appearance is part of the reason its origin has been debated separately from Italian masculine Andrea.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Andy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 95,492
- 94,185 boys · 1,307 girls
- Most popular year
- 2005
- 1,951 babies
- 2025
- 555
- #565 for boys · #4,462 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −29%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 524 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 565 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 30.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,936 in 2005. It also appeared in 31 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (90). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 91,633 as a first name in 2020; 744 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Andy’s family of names
In English usage, Andy is a diminutive of Andrew. In English usage, Andy has a related form in Andi. Andy is an affectionate form of Andrew.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Andy has relatives in 10 languages.
15 related names in 10 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Andy
- Andy WarholAmerican artist, film director, and producer (1928–1987)
- Andy MurrayBritish tennis player (born 1987)
- Andy BurnhamBritish politicianborn 1970
- Andy SerkisBritish actorborn 1964
- Andy RoddickAmerican tennis player (born 1982)
- Andy GarciaAmerican actor and director (born 1956)
- Andy DickAmerican comedian and actorborn 1965
- Andy RobertsonScottish association football player (born 1994)
- Andy CarrollEnglish association football player (born 1989)
Characters named Andy: Andy Hardy (fictional character played by Mickey Rooney), Andy Bogard (Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters), Andy Barclay (Child's Play), Andy Trudeau (Charmed).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Andy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Adan
“man” · “of the earth”
99% boys · 1% girls
Brady
“a large-chested woman” · “the son of a large-chested man”
96% boys · 4% girls
Grady
“one who is famous; noble”
99% boys · 1% girls
Arturo
“strong as a bear”
>99% boys
Aron
“Exalted” · “mountain of strength”
>99% boys
Aryan
“noble; noble one”
94% boys · 6% girls
Ahmad
“more commendable” · “most praiseworthy”
>99% boys
Andres
“manly; a warrior”
>99% boys