Meaning & origin
How it developed
In English usage, Dre is a diminutive of Andre.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1989. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Dre through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 861
- 856 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 1993
- 56 babies
- 2025
- 16
- #5,674 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −6%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 16 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,674 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 2.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 56 in 1993. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,728 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Dre’s family of names
In English usage, Dre is a diminutive of Andre. In Greek usage, Dre as a surname is a transliteration of Δρέ. In Greek usage, Dre as a surname is a transliteration of Δρε.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Dre
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Dre, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Devonte
“one who is energetic”
>99% boys
Deshun
>99% boys
Trea
>99% boys
Deuntae
>99% boys
Donte
“an enduring woman; everlasting” · “an enduring man; everlasting”
>99% boys
Tiree
>99% boys
Deshawn
“God is gracious”
>99% boys
Marquise
“a lord of the borderlands; a nobleman”
>99% boys