National Andrew Day – August 1, 2024

History of National Andrew Day

The name ‘Andrew’ was from the Greek name ‘Andreas’ which means ‘manly’ or ‘masculine.’ True enough, it became one of the most common names for men throughout the centuries. From a biblical standpoint, Andrew was the first disciple who joined Jesus Christ in the “Bible’s” New Testament. Many testified that he preached in the Black Sea region where he was later crucified on an X-shaped cross.

Some of the earliest men named Andrew included Saint Andrew of Trier in 235, Andrew I of Hungary in the 10th century, and Duke Andrew of Gaeta in the mid-11th century.

‘Andrew’ has consistently stayed in the top 100 of the most popular baby names in the United States since 1900. But its popularity wasn’t just contained in the U.S. alone. In 1940, it ranked 31 among the most common baby names in Australia. In the United Kingdom, it ranked third in 1964 and fourth in 1974. But it was in Scotland where it reached its peak as it was declared the most popular baby name in 1993 with almost 1,099 baby boys named ‘Andrew’ that year.

Andrew’s popularity continued in the U.S. during the 2000s as it reached the Top 10 in 2005. However, it slowly declined as the years went on. However, it once again made a comeback during the popularity of “The Amazing Spider-Man” where Andrew Garfield played Peter Parker. It was at this moment that the name was associated with heroic, boy-next-door, and empathic.