Andreas Overview
- Meaning: Andreas is a form of the Greek word for man and is associated with strength, resilience, wisdom, and intelligence.
- Gender: Andreas has traditionally been a given name for boys with feminine/gender-neutral variations of Andreas being the names Andrea and Andriana.
- Origin: The name is ancient Greek in origin.
- Pronunciation: Andreas is pronounced as “ahn-DRAY-us”.
- Popularity: The name has been fairly popular, never falling below the top 1000 popular names for boys in the United States since the 1960s.
- Nicknames: Andi, Andy, Ando, Andri, Dre, Dreas
- Variations: Anders, András, André, Andrei, Andrej, Andrés, Andrew, Andries, Andrija, Ondřej, Ondrej.
- Namesakes: Andreas Kalvos (Greek poet); Andreas Vesalius (Netherlandish/Flemish physician, and anatomist); Andreas Kuffner (Olympic gold medalist for rowing)
What Does Andreas Mean?
The name Andreas comes from the Greek word for man, which is anir. The name began to be used across many countries as a given name for men that conveyed strength and resilience.
Due to its link with Andrew the Apostle (one of the apostles of Jesus), the name is often associated with intelligence and wisdom (1).
What Is the Origin of the Name Andreas?
Andreas originated in ancient Greece as an alternate form of the English name Andrew. Andreas as a name spread to many surrounding countries and even beyond.
The name is associated with Andrew the Apostle of Christianity and St. Andreas in Greek Orthodox. St. Andreas is celebrated every July 4th in the Greek Orthodox calendar.
Because of its spread in popularity, the name Andreas has several variations depending on which countries and cultures co-opted it.
How Popular Is the Name Andreas?
There are no records of Andreas in use before the 1960s in the United States. This detail makes sense as the name has been more popular and originated in ancient Greece and surrounding countries.
Since the 1960s, the name has been fairly popular in the United States, never falling below the top 1000 most popular names for boys.
In recent decades, Andreas has stayed in similar popularity, ranking #976 in 2004 and #972 in 2008. There is a lack of information about its popularity and use after 2008, which may be due to it becoming less popular and, therefore, under-recorded (2).
How Do I Pronounce Andreas?
Andreas is pronounced, “Ahn-DRAY-us.” When we break it down, the “an” sounds like under but you only retain the “un” part. The “drea” part sounds like drake without the “k.” And “as” sounds like the word “us.”
Is Andreas a Boy or Girl Name?
The name Andreas has traditionally been used for boys throughout history, especially in ancient Greece, as the name is a form of the Greek word for man.
Many variations of Andreas have been used as traditional feminine names or as gender-neutral names, such as Andrea or Andriana.
Variations of Andreas
Due to the name Andreas spreading to many countries surrounding Greece, it has many variations in different languages:
- Anders (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish)
- András (Hungarian)
- André (German, French, Portuguese)
- Andrei (Belarusian, Romanian)
- Andrej (Croatian)
- Andrés (Icelandic)
- Andrew (English)
- Andries (Dutch)
- Andrija (Serbian)
- Ondřej (Czech)
- Ondrej (Slovak)
Nicknames for Andreas
The name Andreas has a few fun and catchy nicknames you can use:
- Andi
- Andy
- Ando
- Andri
- Dre
- Dreas
Similar Names to Andreas
If you love the name Andreas, you are sure to love some of these other choices:
- Adrian
- Alexander
- Anderson
- Andrew
- Angelo
- Christopher
- Christos
- Cyrus
- Leon
- Lucas
- Milos
- Nikolas
- Peter
Middle Names for Andreas
If you are interested in the name Andreas, here are some middle names that pair well, including some that share its Greek roots:
- Chase
- Christopher
- Cole
- Damon
- Dimitris
- Dion
- Ethan
- Helios
- Jacob
- Liam
- Luke
- Noah
- Sebastian
- Silas
Sibling Names for Andreas
If you are interested in finding a name for a sibling that pairs well with Andreas, here are some great options, many of which are gender-neutral:
- Adria
- Alexis
- Calypso
- Cassandra
- Chris
- Dante
- Dorian
- Elena
- Lacey
- Memphis
- Orion
- Sandy
- Stevie
Famous People Named Andreas
Because the name Andreas comes from ancient Greece, there have been many famous people who share the name over its many years of use:
- Andreas Kalvos: Greek poet
- Andreas Kontogouris: Greek revolutionary leader
- Andreas Papandreou: Greek prime minister
- Andreas Vesalius: Netherlandish/Flemish physician and anatomist
- Andrew (“Andreas”) the Apostle: an apostle of Jesus
- Andreas Kuffner: Olympic gold medalist for rowing
Andreas in Popular Culture
While Andreas is not as common as the classic John or Mark, it has still been used in popular culture:
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: the fifth installment in the “Grand Theft Auto” video game series
- Andreas Von Strucker: a fictional character from the “Marvel” comics
- Andreas Darlton: a fictional character from the “Code Geass” anime/manga series
- Andrea Harrison: a fictional and main character from the tv series “The Walking Dead”
Andreas FAQs
Here are some of the exciting questions people have asked about the name Andreas.
Is the Name Andreas and the Name Angel the Same in Greek?
No, Andreas and Angel are two separate names with different meanings. Both come from ancient Greece, but while Andreas is a variation of the Greek word for man, the name Angel (and the English word Angel) comes from the Greek word Angelos, which means messenger (3).
Is Andrea the Female Version of Andreas?
Andrea is sometimes thought of as a feminine version of Andreas, though it did not start in that way. The name was another form of Andreas, though it was still considered a very masculine name.
Specifically in Italy, Andrea is the masculine brother to the name Andreas, as it overcame Andreas in popularity as a classic name to give baby boys. Over the years, the name has become a more gender-neutral and even feminine name, often used for baby girls in the United States. However, in Italy, it remains a primarily masculine name.
