Dru

♀ Girl

Pronounced DROO /ˈdru/High

Meaning: Short form of Drusilla, a Roman family name sometimes glossed 'fruitful' or linked to a Celtic word for 'strong'Medium

In 30 seconds: One cool syllable that answers to two families: vintage Drusilla and unisex Drew. Dru is the leather-jacket spelling of both.

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Origin MediumEnglish, Latin

MeaningShort form of Drusilla, a Roman family name sometimes glossed 'fruitful' or linked to a Celtic word for 'strong'

U.S. rank (2025)#3594 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births42 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2004

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,865

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

Dru abbreviates two distinct names. Drusilla, the Roman family name borne by Livia Drusilla and a princess in the Book of Acts, carries debated glosses from 'fruitful' to a Celtic 'strong'; Drew, meanwhile, descends from Andrew ('manly') or from a Norman name some trace to 'phantom'. As a girl's name, the Dru spelling reads vintage and a little gothic — Buffy fans remember the vampire Drusilla, called Dru.

The name appears sparsely in U.S. records for both sexes; Drew Barrymore made the sound mainstream for girls, and Dru is its rarer, moodier sister. A name for parents who want minimalism with a backstory.

Did you know? Drusilla — Dru's likeliest long form — was a name of Roman empresses' circles: Livia Drusilla was Augustus's formidable wife, Rome's first empress.

Overall data confidence 70%

Behind the Name — Drusilla — root etymology, debated

Variations

DrewDrusillaDrue

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Dru…

Sloane— a fellow sleek one-syllable girls' pick

Blair— shares the minimal prep-school cool

Romy— another compact vintage-modern rarity

Drue— a fellow English choice

Kit— another English name

Explore names like Dru

By themeunisex nickname-name short-and-sweet

By meaningStrength

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Dru mean?

Dru is a short form of Drusilla — a Roman name with debated glosses like 'fruitful' — or of Drew, from Andrew, 'manly'.

How do you pronounce Dru?

It's said DROO /ˈdru/ — a single syllable.

Is Dru a boy or girl name?

Dru is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Dru?

Dru is a rare name in the U.S.