How to say it
AN · dre · a
/ˈæn.dri.ə/
Feminine
Andrea
Manly, brave
What it means
Italian masculine and English feminine form of Greek Andreas ('manly,' from anēr 'man'). Same root as Andrew. Andrea is masculine in Italian (the painter Andrea del Sarto, the architect Palladio's first name) and feminine in English-speaking countries.
Andrea has divergent gender usage across languages: it's masculine in Italian (Andrea del Sarto the painter, Andrea Bocelli the singer, Andrea Pirlo the footballer) and feminine in English, German, and Spanish. The root is Greek Andreas, the same as Andrew, from anēr ('man, warrior'). The English feminine Andrea entered widespread use in the early 20th century. The Devil Wears Prada's Andrea 'Andy' Sachs (Anne Hathaway, 2006) and Doctor Who's Sarah Jane Smith — wait, that's a different name. Andrea Bocelli the Italian tenor is one modern Italian-masculine anchor. The name has been in the US top 100 since the 1980s. Common short: Andy or Andie.
Popularity over time
peaked at #23 in 1978, currently #235 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Andrea is masculine in Italian and feminine in English. Both spellings are identical; the gender comes from cultural tradition.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Andrea Bocelli Italian operatic tenor (masculine usage), Time to Say Goodbye
- Andrea Sachs (Devil Wears Prada) Anne Hathaway's character, 2006
Spelling variants
- Andie
- Andra
Names with the same feeling
See Andrea from another angle
By meaning
By style