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National Avery Day – May 7, 2024

National Avery Day is celebrated on May 7 to bestow honor and regard on all the people around the world who identify with the name Avery. The name is an English and French name designated for boys and girls, which perhaps explains its popularity in America, even though it originates from Europe. The name is believed to date back to Anglo-Saxon times and stems from the words ‘aelf’ and ‘ric,’ meaning ‘elf’ and ‘ruler’ — basically ‘ruler of elves.’ Closely related to folklore, elves are tiny playful fairy-like, diminutive shape-shifters believed to live in forest kingdoms and other magical settings.

History of National Avery Day

National Avery Day is a name day to celebrate the large group of people around the world who identify with and bear this appealing name. Avery stems from ‘aelf’ and ‘ric’, meaning ‘elf’ and ‘ruler’ respectively. Its derivative words combine as ‘ruler of elves.’ Some say it means ‘wise.’ The latter might stem from the wisdom attributed to elves — mythical beings considered to have powerful hearing and magical abilities. From the 1800s through to the last half of the 1900s, Avery was a popular boy’s name. It was only used for girls at the beginning of the 21st century. One surprising fact is that as it began to be given to girls, its currency as a boy’s name fell drastically.

Nonetheless, it is still considered a gender-neutral name. The U.S. Social Security Administration revealed that Avery was the 19th most popular girls’ name in 2020 and the 212th for boys. The highest stat for the name was in 2013 when it ranked as the 12th most popular girl’s name. Interestingly, it has ranked in the Top 20 since 2011. An interesting fact is that in 1989, it was ranked 971 in the most popular girls’ name — an astronomical leap from its ranking barely 10 years earlier.

Among the notable figures who bear the name are the N.B.A. basketball player Avery Bradley; the U.S. basketball coach Avery Johnson; the American actor Avery Brooks, who starred as Captain Benjamin Sisko in the movie “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” and the American multi-talented star, Annabella Avery Thorne, and Troian Avery Bellisario. Ready to celebrate National Avery Day? Take a look at these interesting facts about the origin of the unique name.

National Avery Day timeline

19th Century
Gender-specific Name

Avery is used primarily for boys.

2003
Hollywood Theater

The Avery Schreiber Theater in North Hollywood, California, is founded.

2009
Young Artist Award

Annabella Avery Thorne wins the Best Performance and Best Supporting Young Actress awards in the T.V. series "My Own Worst Enemy."

2010
A Well-deserved Award

Troian Avery Bellisario wins the Vision Fest Award for Best Acting by a Female Lead and the First Glance Philadelphia Award for Best Actress for her perchance in the film “Consent.”

National Avery Day FAQs

What's a nickname for Avery?

Common nicknames for Avery include Ave, Aves, and Avie.

Is Avery an old name?

Avery is not an extremely old name. However, it was modified from Alfred — an Old English, French, and German name.

How rare is the name Avery?

Avery is not a rare name. It has consistently ranked in the first 30 girl names in the U.S. since 2012. A report shows that one of every 261 girls in the U.S. is named Avery.

National Avery Day Activities

  1. Adopt the name as a nickname

    Celebrate this day by adding Avery to your name. You could make it a nick or a middle name. Whichever you do, just make sure you confer yourself with the title of Ruler of Elves.

  2. Read up on its history

    Research the history of the name and find interesting facts about those who bear it. You never know what you might find.

  3. Send out greetings

    Another way to celebrate this day is to hail all those charming ladies and dashing guys you know called Avery. Let them know today is their special day.

5 Facts About The Name Avery

  1. It’s versatile

    Avery is the most popular gender-neutral name in the U.S.

  2. People's perceptions

    People consider the name to be good, modern, wholesome, strange, and refined.

  3. There are different pronunciations

    The name is pronounced with two syllables in the North and with three syllables, particularly in the South of the U.S.

  4. Popularized by T.V.

    The entertainment industry played major roles in propagating the name with movies casting actresses named Avery.

  5. It’s the name of an island

    Avery Island is a historic dome of salt rock in Louisiana, United States, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Why We Love National Avery Day

  1. It has an interesting meaning

    Its meaning indicates mystery, fantasy, creativity, and imagination. Tell someone named Avery the origin of their unique name!

  2. It is versatile

    The gender-neutrality of the name makes it capable of representing a broad group of people. We love it because of its universal appeal.

  3. It is fun

    We love name days for the fun and memorable activities that close friends, colleagues, and family can set up. Celebrate this wonderful name today!

National Avery Day dates

YearDateDay
2024May 7Tuesday
2025May 7Wednesday
2026May 7Thursday
2027May 7Friday
2028May 7Sunday

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