Sandre is of French origin, derived from the given name Alexandre, which is itself a derivative of Alexander. The name means 'defending men', with 'Sand' meaning 'defending' and 're' being a diminutive suffix. In France, Sandre is often used as an independent given name, while in other francophone countries like Belgium and Switzerland, it may be more commonly seen as a shortened form of Alexandre or Alexander. The name has gained some popularity worldwide, with instances of its use found in various English-speaking countries such as the United States and Australia. There are no specific historical figures associated with this name, but it has been used by several notable individuals in recent times, most notably French actor Sandrine Bonnaire who uses a shortened form of her given name Sandrine.
"Sandre was quite popular as a baby girl name in the late 1940s and early 1960s, with five babies named Sandre in both 1947 and 1950, and another six in 1962. In total, sixteen girls were named Sandre during this period."