Avery is a gender-neutral given name of English origin that has gained popularity in recent years. The name Avery means "elf counsel" or "wise elf," derived from the Old French word "averi," which refers to elves. In medieval times, it was believed that elves possessed great wisdom and knowledge.
The use of Avery as a given name is relatively modern. It was initially used more frequently for males in the past century, but its usage has become increasingly gender-neutral over time. Today, Avery is considered unisex and is often given to children regardless of their gender.
According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, Avery has consistently ranked among the top 1000 names for both boys and girls since the early 2000s. Its popularity peaked in 2016, when it reached its highest rank yet at number 374 for boys and number 598 for girls.
In literature and popular culture, Avery has been used as a character name in various works, including "Avery Jessup" in the television series "30 Rock," "Avery Johnson" in the novel "The Color Purple," and "Avery Schrieber" in the film "Little Miss Sunshine." These examples demonstrate how Avery's gender-neutral nature makes it suitable for a wide range of characters.
Overall, Avery is an attractive and distinctive name with a unique meaning that has gained popularity in recent years due to its unisex appeal. Its origins in Old French mythology add an intriguing layer to this charming name choice.
Statistics on the Given Name Avery in the United States:
The name Avery has seen a significant increase in popularity over the past century in the United States. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the number of births with the name Avery fluctuated between single digits to around 30 annually. However, starting from the 1950s, there was a notable rise in its popularity.
In the decade spanning from 1954 to 1963, the annual birth count for babies named Avery increased steadily, reaching an all-time high of 206 births in 1965. While it dipped slightly thereafter, it remained consistently above 150 births per year throughout the 1970s.
The 1980s marked a substantial leap in popularity for the name Avery, with annual birth counts exceeding 200 since 1983 and reaching over 360 by the end of the decade. This trend continued into the 1990s, with the number of births peaking at 469 in 1989 and again at 933 in 1993.
The new millennium brought an even more significant surge in popularity for the name Avery. Between 2000 and 2022, there were over 20,000 births recorded for babies named Avery in the United States alone. The year 2012 saw a record-breaking high of 2,018 births with the name Avery.
In recent years, the popularity of the name Avery has shown signs of stabilizing at around 1,500 to 2,000 births per year, with 1,658 births recorded in 2022. Overall, since reliable record-keeping began in the late 19th century, there have been a total of approximately 64,341 babies named Avery born in the United States.
This data illustrates the steady growth and sustained popularity of the name Avery over time, demonstrating that it has become an enduring choice among parents in the United States.