Meaning & History
Andrea is the Italian form of Andreas, which derives from the Greek name Andrew. The Greek name Ἀνδρέας (Andreas) comes from ἀνδρεῖος (andreios), meaning "manly" or "masculine," itself a derivative of ἀνήρ (aner), meaning "man." In the New Testament, Andrew is the first disciple called by Jesus and the brother of Simon Peter; tradition holds that he was crucified on an X-shaped cross and is the patron saint of Scotland, Russia, Greece, and Romania.
In Italian, Andrea is predominantly a masculine name, in contrast to its widespread use as a feminine name in many other cultures. One of the most famous bearers is Andrea del Verrocchio (c. 1435–1488), a Florentine sculptor, painter, and goldsmith who taught both Leonardo da Vinci and Pietro Perugino. His workshop was a hub of Renaissance artistic innovation, and his works include the bronze equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni in Venice and The Baptism of Christ, in which Leonardo painted one of the angels.
Related Names
The feminine form in Italian is Andreina. Variants in other languages include Andre (English), Andreas (Welsh), Ander (Basque), Andrei and Andrey (Russian), and Andrew (English).
- Meaning: Manly, masculine
- Origin: Italian form of Greek Andreas, via Andrew
- Type: First name (masculine in Italian)
- Usage Region: Italy