Aubrey

Aubrey started out as a masculine name. The Old French-Norman Auberi arrived in England in the 11th century by way of the Norman Conquest of 1066; it originated from the Old High German Alberich meaning “ruler of the elves”, from the Germanic *Alb(e)rada” (elf counsel). The name Alberich appears in Germanic mythology as the fair-haired King of the Elves. Elves (sometimes interchangeable with dwarfs and fairies) featured prominently in early Germanic/Nordic mythology; they possessed certain magical powers which could be used to either help or hinder the progress of humans (although the little devils evolved with more sinister powers in later folklore). In the Middle High German mythological poem “Nibelungenlied”, Alberich appears as King of the Elves. He’s portrayed as a magical dwarf whose chief responsibility is to guard the treasures of Nibelungen (entrusted to him by Siegfried). He was defeated by Siegfried in battle and was forced to give up his magical cloak of invisibilty. After swearing an oath of loyalty to Siegfried, Alberich continued on as keeper of the treasure. Many scholars believe Alberich served as a model for slews of dwarf/elf characters that would follow in later mythologies. In fact, Shakespeare’s character Oberon (king of the faeries) from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was inspired by Alberich. Aubrey became a relatively common masculine name in England in the later Middle Ages but eventually diminished in usage until a 19th century revival. It abruptly appeared on the American female naming charts in 1973, largely inspired by a hit pop-song called “Aubrey” (by the band Bread). Soon enough, Aubrey’s success as a girl’s name eclipsed its popularity for boys. Today Aubrey is considered mostly female and used mainly in the United States and Canada.