Given name & surname
Autry
“of noble strength”
Autry is a variant of Autrey. In English use, Autrey carries the interpretation “of noble strength.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Autry is a variant of Autrey. In English use, Autrey carries the interpretation “of noble strength.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Autry connects to the Audrey name family through Autrey. Audrey is an English development of the Old English feminine name Æðelþryð, also known in Latinized form as Etheldreda.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Autry connects to the Audrey name family through Autrey. The shared background comes through Audrey: Audrey shortens Æðelþryð, built from æðel, “noble,” and þryð, “strength.” A separate word-history developed when Saint Audrey was divided differently in speech, producing tawdry for goods associated with fairs held in her name.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1913. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Autry connects to the Audrey name family through Autrey. The history of Audrey gives this family its wider story. Saint Audrey, or Etheldreda, was widely venerated in the Middle Ages. Lace and other fairground goods associated with her name contributed to the word tawdry, an association that later affected the name’s reputation. Shakespeare used Audrey for Touchstone’s sweetheart in As You Like It.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Autry through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,461
- 1,218 boys · 243 girls
- Most popular year
- 1938
- 68 babies
- 2025
- 5
- #12,223 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 5 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 12,223 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 38.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 57 in 1938. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 765 as a first name in 2020; 7,922 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.
Autry’s family of names
In English usage, Autry has a related form in Audrey. Autry has a related form in Autrey. In English usage, Autry has a related form in Autrey.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Autry
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Autry, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Audie
“the last daughter born” · “of noble strength”
66% boys · 34% girls
Adel
“God is eternal” · “a highborn man”
63% boys · 37% girls
Audriz
“noble” · “strength”
—
Audfis
“noble” · “strength”
—
Audriza
“noble” · “strength”
—
Audrissa
“noble” · “strength”
—
Audrysa
“noble” · “strength”
—
Audrisya
“noble” · “strength”
—