| Hazel | Aubrey | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The hazel tree | Elf ruler |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | HAY-zul | AW-bree |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1889 |
| Peak year | 1918 (7,615) | 2012 (8,061) |
| In 2025 | 6,318 | 2,003 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Hazel | Aubrey |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 36,638 | 17,235 |
| 2010s | 33,919 | 65,935 |
| 2000s | 5,930 | 29,537 |
| 1990s | 1,683 | 10,906 |
| 1980s | 1,236 | 6,802 |
| 1970s | 1,489 | 2,055 |
| 1960s | 3,674 | 115 |
| 1950s | 9,135 | 92 |
| 1940s | 16,657 | 112 |
| 1930s | 28,567 | 174 |
| 1920s | 58,984 | 277 |
| 1910s | 57,068 | 177 |
| 1900s | 23,802 | 74 |
| 1890s | 20,154 | 19 |
| 1880s | 3,644 | 5 |
Hazel comes from the hazel tree and its nut, from the Old English hæsel. One of the botanical names that flourished in the Victorian era, it has enjoyed a strong revival.
Aubrey comes from the Germanic Alberic, “elf ruler” or “ruler of supernatural beings.” Once a boy’s name, it is now chiefly given to girls.
Hazel is more popular than Aubrey today: about 6,318 US babies were given the name Hazel in 2025, compared with 2,003 named Aubrey.
Hazel means The hazel tree (English origin), while Aubrey means Elf ruler (English origin).
In US records, Hazel first appears in 1880 and Aubrey in 1889, so Hazel has the longer recorded history.