Drew
Drew Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
/ˈdɹuː/
Meaning of Drew: Drew began as a medieval Scottish and English short form of Andrew, which derives from the Greek Andreas, from andros (man), meaning "manly" or "warrior." Andrew traced to the Apostle Andrew, the first disciple called by Jesus in the Gospel of John, and patron saint of Scotland, Russia, Greece, and Romania - making his name one of the most geographically widespread apostolic names in Christianity.
As a surname, Drew developed in Scotland and northern England as a diminutive byname for bearers of Andrew, following the medieval practice of forming surnames from personal name contractions. The surname Drew appeared in English and Scottish parish registers from the 13th century onward, carried by families whose earliest known ancestor bore the given name Andrew.
The shift from surname to given name followed the broader American trend of using surnames as first names. Actor Drew Barrymore - born 1975 and named via a family surname connection - became the name's most prominent bearer and helped shift its perception as a feminine or gender-neutral option in the 1990s. Before Barrymore's cultural prominence, Drew was used almost exclusively for boys.
What Does Drew Mean? Origin & Etymology
According to SSA records, Drew maintained steady male usage through the 1980s and 1990s, then appeared more frequently for girls in the 2000s. By 2024 it reached rank 542 with 550 births, used for both genders but skewing roughly 60/40 male in current figures. Its single-syllable sharpness fits the larger category of gender-fluid short names like Blake, Quinn, and Reese.
Drew compresses the Apostle Andrew's full name into a crisp single syllable while gaining the preppy surname-as-first-name quality that defined American gender-neutral naming for three decades. Etymology traced at Etymonline.
How Popular Is Drew?
Numerology & Symbolism of Drew
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Drew – Similar Names & Alternatives
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity
Frequently Asked Questions about Drew
What does the name Drew mean?
The name Drew derives from Old English roots, reflecting the Anglo-Saxon naming tradition that predates the Norman Conquest. Names of this origin typically referenced personal qualities, natural features, or family lineage meaningful to early English-speaking communities.
How popular is the name Drew in the United States?
According to SSA records, Drew ranked #542 for boy names in the United States, with 550 births recorded in the most recent annual count. The name hit its highest SSA rank in 2024. It has held a consistent place in US naming statistics across multiple decades.
Where does the name Drew come from?
The name Drew comes from English. It entered English use through the linguistic and cultural channels typical of English-origin names—whether through religious texts, migration, or the prestige associated with classical learning. Today it is recognized as a boy’s name across the English-speaking world.