Andres

Manly or masculine, through the Greek Andreas name family

Andres is a masculine name with Greek roots and an established place in Estonian naming. It belongs to the Andreas family, alongside English Andrew and Spanish Andrés. Its traditional meaning, “manly” or “masculine”, comes through the Greek word andreios, related to aner, “man”. The unaccented spelling has a history of its own in Estonia. Andres is one of the forms through which the apostle Andrew’s name became part of Estonian naming. Spanish Andrés belongs to the same family, but its written accent and pronunciation distinguish it: Estonian Andres stresses the opening syllable, while Spanish Andrés stresses the last. Knowing which tradition a family follows helps when saying the name aloud. The compact spelling gives Andres a restrained, classic look. To our ear, the central dr sound adds definition, and the final s gives it a crisp finish. It offers a concise alternative within the wider Andreas family for parents drawn to a traditional name with a firm sound.

Etymology: Andres is an Estonian form of Andreas, the Greek name also represented by English Andrew. The family is linked with andreios, meaning manly or masculine, from aner, man.