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Name Lineage

    The first name Brian

    A boy’s name from Irish.

    Pronounced /ˈbɹaɪ.ən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Irish origin

    Borrowed from Irish Brian. Doublet of Brendan.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 68 boys were named Brian, making it the 573rd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2007, with 121 births (#312).

    0100200 1996200020052010201520202025
    2,818
    babies named Brian, 1996–2025
    #573
    rank in 2025
    2007
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Brian with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Brian at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 979 boys born in the United States were named Brian, the 339th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1972, when 36,306 were.

    020,00040,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    1,178,298
    babies named Brian since 1880
    #339
    rank in 2025
    1972
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Brian in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    بْرَايَن
    brāyan
    Arabic
    布賴恩 /布赖恩
    Bùlài'ēn
    Chinese, also 布萊恩 /布莱恩
    Brajan
    Esperanto
    Μπράιαν
    Bráian
    Greek
    Brjánn
    Icelandic
    ブライアン
    Buraian
    Japanese
    브라이언
    Beuraieon
    Korean
    Бра́йан
    Brájan
    Russian
    Бра́ян
    Brájan
    Ukrainian
    Brai-ơn
    Vietnamese

    Spelled Brian in Irish too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Brian

    • Bri

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Brian

    466 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Brian May
      British musician (born 1947)
    • Brian Schmidt
      American-born Australian astrophysicist, born 1967
    • Brian De Palma
      American film director and screenwriter, born 1940
    • Brian Wilson
      American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer (1942–2025)
    • Brian Eno
      British musician, music producer, music theorist and visual artist (born 1948)
    • Brian Kobilka
      American physiologist, born 1955
    • Brian Jones
      British musician (1942–1969)
    • Brian Aldiss
      British science fiction writer (1925–2017)
    • Brian Greene
      American physicist, born 1963
    • Brian Epstein
      British personal manager and impresario (1934–1967)
    • Brian Laudrup
      Danish footballer (born 1969)
    • Brian Clough
      English football player and manager (1935–2004)

    More Irish boys’ names

    All 142 names of Irish origin

    Questions

    What does the name Brian mean?
    Borrowed from Irish Brian. Doublet of Brendan.
    What is the origin of the name Brian?
    Borrowed from Irish Brian. Doublet of Brendan.
    How popular is the name Brian?
    In 2025, 68 boys born in England and Wales were named Brian, ranking 573rd. Its peak was 2007, with 121 births.
    What are nicknames for Brian?
    Common nicknames for Brian include Bri.
    Is Brian a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,178,298 US babies named Brian since 1880 were boys.
    When was Brian most popular?
    1972 in the United States, when 36,306 babies were named Brian, its highest rank at 8th.
    How do you pronounce Brian?
    Brian is /ˈbɹaɪ.ən/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Brian?
    Bryan and Bryon.
    Is Brian also a surname?
    Yes. Brian is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.