Andrea
Andrea is the feminine form of Andrew, from the Greek "andros" meaning man — or, more precisely, "manly" or "brave." The logic of feminizing a name meaning "manly" is awkward to modern ears, but in classical usage it meant courage and strength, qualities equally valued in women. The name is used across most European languages with regional pronunciations. Andrea entered the US top 100 in 1962 and stayed for nearly 40 years. It is pronounced differently depending on region: "AN-dree-uh" (English), "ahn-DRAY-uh" (Italian), "ahn-DRE-ah" (Spanish), "ahn-DRAY-ah" (German). This pronunciation flexibility is both a feature and a complication — the same spelling becomes almost different names across languages. What I find interesting is how the name sounds. The "dr" cluster in the middle gives it a slight hardness that other female names lack. Andrea has a no-nonsense quality that I associate with capable professional women — Andrea Mitchell the journalist, Andrea Bocelli the singer (male, Italian usage), Andrea Riseborough the actress. The name feels serious. Andrea is a unisex name of Greek origin that means "Brave, manly (feminine of Andrew)". Capable, serious, and dependable. The name sounds professional. Andreas tend to be organized and direct. US top 100 from 1962-2000. Now around #200. Well-known people named Andrea include Andrea Bocelli (singer, male), Andrea Mitchell (journalist), Andrea Riseborough (actress), Andrea Dworkin (feminist writer). Common variations and related forms of Andrea include Andrée (French), Andreia (Portuguese), Andriana (Greek), Aindrea (Scottish).