Unisex · #34 in 2026

Avery

Avery is traditionally a male given name ultimately derived from the Old English name Ælfred, which is formed from the elements ælf 'elf' and ræd 'counsel', and literally translates to 'elf-counsel'.

Current Rank
#34
Peak Rank
#12 (2014)
Total Babies
176K
5-Yr Trend
-23%
👧 Girl peak #12 (176K total)
👦 Boy peak #181 (68K total)
👧As Girl Name
1890
First Year
2026
Last Year
2014
Peak Year
#12
Peak Rank
176K
Total Count
120
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
2014
Peak Year
#181
Peak Rank
68K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Avery

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Avery is traditionally a male given name ultimately derived from the Old English name Ælfred, which is formed from the elements ælf 'elf' and ræd 'counsel', and literally translates to 'elf-counsel'.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Avery

As a girl name

Avery first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1890, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 9,578 Averys were born — ranking #14 that year. As of 2026, Avery ranks #34 for girls with 5,372 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 176K Averys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Avery first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 2,283 Averys were born — ranking #186 that year. As of 2026, Avery ranks #272 for boys with 1,262 births, falling sharply (-28%). In total, more than 68K Averys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Avery

Phonetically similar names — useful when Avery is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Avery

What does the name Avery mean?
Avery is traditionally a male given name ultimately derived from the Old English name Ælfred, which is formed from the elements ælf 'elf' and ræd 'counsel', and literally translates to 'elf-counsel'.
How popular is Avery in 2026?
In 2026, Avery ranks #34 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5,372 babies given the name that year.
When was Avery most popular?
Avery reached its peak popularity in 2014, ranking #12 that year with 9,578 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Avery most popular?
Avery has historically been most popular in Vermont, Wyoming, Minnesota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Avery.
Is Avery a unisex name?
Yes — Avery is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 72% of Averys assigned female and 28% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Avery?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Avery include Ella, Christina, Jean. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Avery

Avery is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1890 and has accumulated 176K births in the dataset. Avery's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #12. Use the chart and map above to compare Avery's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.