Boy nameCurrently #301 in the USFalling
Brian
BRY-un//ˈbraɪən//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19725 lettersStarts with B
Meaning & origin
Noble, strong, or virtuous
Brian's exact meaning is debated but often linked to nobility, strength, or virtue, and it was borne by the legendary Irish High King Brian Boru. A widely used name across the English-speaking world for decades, it remains a familiar, versatile classic.
Brian's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Brian |
|---|---|
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1911 | 7 |
| 1912 | 6 |
| 1913 | 14 |
| 1914 | 11 |
| 1915 | 21 |
| 1916 | 17 |
| 1917 | 14 |
| 1918 | 12 |
| 1919 | 14 |
| 1920 | 31 |
| 1921 | 34 |
| 1922 | 31 |
| 1923 | 35 |
| 1924 | 38 |
| 1925 | 59 |
| 1926 | 47 |
| 1927 | 75 |
| 1928 | 104 |
| 1929 | 112 |
| 1930 | 90 |
| 1931 | 93 |
| 1932 | 119 |
| 1933 | 150 |
| 1934 | 187 |
| 1935 | 254 |
| 1936 | 344 |
| 1937 | 519 |
| 1938 | 609 |
| 1939 | 808 |
| 1940 | 1,008 |
| 1941 | 1,123 |
| 1942 | 1,523 |
| 1943 | 1,960 |
| 1944 | 1,954 |
| 1945 | 1,994 |
| 1946 | 2,593 |
| 1947 | 3,462 |
| 1948 | 3,364 |
| 1949 | 3,860 |
| 1950 | 4,447 |
| 1951 | 5,108 |
| 1952 | 5,754 |
| 1953 | 6,676 |
| 1954 | 8,091 |
| 1955 | 10,129 |
| 1956 | 14,686 |
| 1957 | 17,550 |
| 1958 | 19,314 |
| 1959 | 20,774 |
| 1960 | 22,042 |
| 1961 | 22,602 |
| 1962 | 23,287 |
| 1963 | 24,177 |
| 1964 | 24,237 |
| 1965 | 24,621 |
| 1966 | 27,344 |
| 1967 | 28,752 |
| 1968 | 30,027 |
| 1969 | 31,799 |
| 1970 | 32,066 |
| 1971 | 32,775 |
| 1972 | 36,480 |
| 1973 | 35,848 |
| 1974 | 34,589 |
| 1975 | 30,737 |
| 1976 | 30,679 |
| 1977 | 32,675 |
| 1978 | 29,606 |
| 1979 | 28,822 |
| 1980 | 28,891 |
| 1981 | 26,726 |
| 1982 | 25,977 |
| 1983 | 26,203 |
| 1984 | 24,870 |
| 1985 | 23,205 |
| 1986 | 21,171 |
| 1987 | 20,489 |
| 1988 | 19,655 |
| 1989 | 18,178 |
| 1990 | 16,984 |
| 1991 | 14,965 |
| 1992 | 14,150 |
| 1993 | 12,587 |
| 1994 | 11,682 |
| 1995 | 11,042 |
| 1996 | 10,505 |
| 1997 | 9,761 |
| 1998 | 9,171 |
| 1999 | 8,828 |
| 2000 | 8,987 |
| 2001 | 8,319 |
| 2002 | 8,101 |
| 2003 | 7,692 |
| 2004 | 7,375 |
| 2005 | 6,943 |
| 2006 | 6,519 |
| 2007 | 6,098 |
| 2008 | 5,272 |
| 2009 | 4,662 |
| 2010 | 3,774 |
| 2011 | 3,255 |
| 2012 | 2,830 |
| 2013 | 2,649 |
| 2014 | 2,535 |
| 2015 | 2,222 |
| 2016 | 1,983 |
| 2017 | 1,777 |
| 2018 | 1,631 |
| 2019 | 1,478 |
| 2020 | 1,261 |
| 2021 | 1,188 |
| 2022 | 1,180 |
| 2023 | 1,048 |
| 2024 | 1,111 |
Brian through the decades
- Brian peaked in 1972, when 36,480 babies were named Brian in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Brian has fallen 67% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Brian currently ranks #301 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Bri
Variants & spellings
Bryan
Famous people named Brian
- Brian Boru — High King of Ireland