Andrew name meaning: origin and Bible context
The Andrew name meaning comes from a Greek given name. Andrew is a Greek personal name glossed as manly or a strong man in the historical dictionaries.
Last updated October 15, 2026
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The Andrew name meaning comes from a Greek given name. Andrew is a Greek personal name glossed as manly or a strong man in the historical dictionaries. In the Gospels, Andrew is Simon Peter's brother and one of Jesus' disciples.
Andrew; Andrey is a later language form, not an additional biblical bearer in these English editions. Matthew places Andrew beside Simon at the Sea of Galilee. Both are fishing when Jesus calls them. John gives a different scene: Andrew hears John the Baptist, follows Jesus, then finds his brother. These passages identify the same named disciple through his family tie; neither gives an English explanation of his name.
Andrew name meaning and dictionary readings
| Historical source | Entry wording | Source record |
|---|---|---|
| Hitchcock | a strong man | Hitchcock: ANDREW |
| Easton | Andrew Manliness, a Greek name; one of the apostles of our Lord. […] | Easton: ANDREW |
| Smith | ( manly ), one of the apostles of our Lord, ( John 1:40 ; Matthew 4:18 ) brother of Simon Peter. […] | Smith: ANDREW |
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Bearers, aliases and passage context
Andrew; Andrey is a later language form, not an additional biblical bearer in these English editions.
Matthew places Andrew beside Simon at the Sea of Galilee. Both are fishing when Jesus calls them. John gives a different scene: Andrew hears John the Baptist, follows Jesus, then finds his brother. These passages identify the same named disciple through his family tie; neither gives an English explanation of his name.
The dictionary gloss describes the name's origin. It does not prove that every Andrew has a strong character. Andrew's actions have to be read from the story: in John he brings Simon to Jesus. That act is evidence about this man, while a name gloss is evidence about the name.
An Andrew surname question needs a separate family-history record. The biblical passages do not identify a modern family's ancestry. Andrey can help a visitor recognize a related spelling, but it cannot establish that a modern person descends from the apostle. The Gospel text supplies no such family tree.
Selected passages in three editions
The panels quote a selection. Other references in the explanation identify related scenes; read their full context in the named biblical book.
Matthew 4:18-20
King James Version (eng-kjv2006, standard 1769 text)
18 ¶ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
World English Bible Classic (eng-web, US spelling)
18 Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”
20 They immediately left their nets and followed him.
American Standard Version (eng-asv)
18 And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left the nets, and followed him.
Before (WEB Classic): 16 the people who sat in darkness saw a great light; to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.” 17 From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
After (WEB Classic): 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. 22 They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
John 1:40-42
King James Version (eng-kjv2006, standard 1769 text)
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
World English Bible Classic (eng-web, US spelling)
40 One of the two who heard John and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ).
42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is by interpretation, Peter).
American Standard Version (eng-asv)
40 One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He findeth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ).
42 He brought him unto Jesus. Jesus looked upon him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of John: thou shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter).
Before (WEB Classic): 38 Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour.
After (WEB Classic): 43 On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
FAQ
Does Andrew mean a warrior?
The retained entries say a strong man, manliness or manly. They do not name a military rank. Matthew describes Andrew as a fisherman. Calling him a warrior adds a claim that these passages do not make.
Related meanings
Biblical names and their meanings
How to study Andrew
Read Matthew 4 and John 1 as separate scenes. Note the brother named in each. Then compare manly with a strong man in the historical entries. Those are glosses of a Greek name; the fishing and the meeting with Jesus are narrative facts. A surname search needs family records outside these passages.
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Verdict: Andrew in the biblical passages
Andrew name meaning points to the Greek manly or strong-man gloss. John identifies this disciple through his relation to Simon. Neither the gloss nor the Gospel gives modern surname ancestry or a prediction of character.