Brave
A name meaning courageous, valiant, bold, and having fortitude.
Name Census estimates that about 615 living Americans carry the first name Brave. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 75.8% of registrations being male. The average person named Brave today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Brave births was 2022 (79 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Brave. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
615
~ 1 in 557,324 Americans
Peak year
2022
79 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,329
Tracked since 2008
Gender
Gender distribution for Brave
Brave is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 619 total registrations, 469 (75.8%) were male and 150 (24.2%) were female.
Brave as a male name
- Ranked #3,329 in 2024
- 35 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (54 births)
Brave as a female name
- Ranked #10,380 in 2024
- 9 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (25 births)
Popularity
Brave: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Brave from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 333 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Brave by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Brave during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Braves live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Brave, while Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 17 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Brave
The name Brave has its roots in the Old English language, originating from the word "bræf," which meant "courageous" or "valiant." It emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period, around the 5th to 11th centuries, when warrior culture was prominent in England.
The name Brave was initially used to describe individuals who displayed exceptional courage and bravery in battle or in the face of adversity. It was a name bestowed upon warriors and heroes, symbolizing their strength, valor, and unwavering spirit.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brave can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record that chronicled the lives and deeds of notable figures in England during the medieval period. The name appears in various accounts of battles and skirmishes, often used to describe the bravery of warriors on the battlefield.
Throughout history, several famous individuals have carried the name Brave. One notable figure was Brave the Bold, a legendary Anglo-Saxon warrior who fought alongside King Alfred the Great in the 9th century. His exploits were celebrated in ballads and stories, immortalizing his courage and bravery in defending the kingdom.
In the 12th century, Brave of Hereford was a renowned knight and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade. His valor and leadership during the campaign earned him recognition and praise from his contemporaries.
During the Renaissance period, Brave Boccaccio, an Italian author and poet born in 1313, was known for his literary works that celebrated the virtues of courage and resilience. His famous work, "The Decameron," contains tales that highlight the bravery of characters in the face of adversity.
In the 18th century, Brave Wolfe, a British Army officer born in 1727, became a celebrated military hero for his role in the Battle of Quebec during the Seven Years' War. His daring tactics and leadership during the battle led to a decisive British victory and cemented his reputation as a brave and skilled commander.
Another notable figure was Brave Heart, a Native American chief from the Sioux tribe, born in the late 18th century. He was renowned for his bravery in defending his people's lands and traditions against the encroachment of European settlers. His unwavering courage and resistance became a symbol of strength for his tribe.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Brave, each embodying the qualities of courage, valor, and resilience that the name represents.
People
Brave + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Brave as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Brave: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Brave?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 615 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Brave going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 557,324 US residents.
Is Brave a common name?
We classify Brave as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 619 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Brave most popular?
The single biggest year for Brave was 2022, when 79 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Brave is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Brave a male name?
Yes, 75.8% of people registered as Brave in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.