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Autherine

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Autherine

Pronounced AW-thuh-reen /ˈɔ.θə.rin/Medium

Meaning: Autherine's own etymology is not firmly documented; it may be a Southern American elaboration of Esther or of Arthur-adjacent name elements with a feminine -ine ending, but no confirmed source is established. It is a genuine, if rare, given name known through the civil rights figure Autherine Lucy.Low

In 30 seconds: Autherine is a rare American name of uncertain root, made known by civil rights pioneer Autherine Lucy. It's a mid-century name that peaked around 1956 (said AW-thuh-reen).

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Origin LowAmerican

MeaningAutherine's own etymology is not firmly documented; it may be a Southern American elaboration of Esther or of Arthur-adjacent name elements with a feminine -ine ending, but no confirmed source is established. It is a genuine, if rare, given name known through the civil rights figure Autherine Lucy.

U.S. rank (1960)#5208 ↗ Rising

1960 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1956

Total births (all-time)≈ 51

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Autherine does not trace to a single confirmed root; it may loosely echo Esther or Arthur-family elements with a feminine -ine ending, though this is not established. Its most documented bearer is Autherine Juanita Lucy (1929-2022), who in 1956 became the first African American student admitted to the University of Alabama.

Autherine was never common, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak around 1956, and it had mostly disappeared from records by 1960. Its place in history rests far more on one remarkable bearer than on widespread use.

Did you know? Autherine Lucy Foster became, in 1956, the first Black student to attend the University of Alabama, a milestone in the civil rights movement that gives this obscure name real historical weight.

Overall data confidence 40%

Wikipedia - Autherine Lucy — Verified real bearer; first African American student at University of Alabama, 1956

Variations

AuthereneOtherine

Nicknames

AuthRina

Famous Bearers

★Autherine Lucy (1929-2022)
American civil rights activist and educator, the first African American student admitted to the University of Alabama, in 1956.

If you like Autherine…

Esther— a possible root it may echo

Arthurine— a like Arthur-rooted feminine form

Catherine— shares the -erine/-arine ending shape

Aurelia— a like vintage Au- opening name

Explore names like Autherine

By themeuncertain vintage american uncommon

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Autherine mean?

Its exact root is uncertain; it may loosely relate to Esther or Arthur-family names, though this is not firmly established.

How do you pronounce Autherine?

It is said AW-thuh-reen /ˈɔ.θə.rin/, three syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Autherine a boy or girl name?

Autherine is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Autherine?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak in the mid-1950s.