Bre
Diminutive form of the English word "breath" or short for Bridget.
Name Census estimates that about 446 living Americans carry the first name Bre. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Bre today is around 29 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bre births was 2006 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bre. 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
446
~ 1 in 768,507 Americans
Peak year
2006
31 babies that year
Average age
29
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,726
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Bre: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bre from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 142 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bre 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 Bre during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Bres live
Origin
Meaning and history of Bre
The name Bre has its origins in the Old Norse language, dating back to the 9th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "breiðr," which means "broad" or "wide." This could suggest a connection to physical attributes or perhaps a reference to a broad or expansive landscape.
During the Viking Age, the name Bre was prevalent among the Norse people who inhabited Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe. It was a common name among warriors and seafarers, who valued strength and bravery. The name may have been used to symbolize power or resilience.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bre can be found in the Icelandic sagas, which are historical narratives that chronicle the lives and adventures of Norse settlers in Iceland during the 9th and 10th centuries. The name appears in the Saga of Grettir the Strong, featuring a character named Bre the Grim, who was known for his fearlessness and combat skills.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Bre. One of the most famous was Bre the Wise, a renowned Norse scholar and poet who lived in the 11th century. He was renowned for his vast knowledge of Norse mythology and literature, and his works were widely studied and preserved.
Another notable figure was Bre the Bold, a Viking explorer who is believed to have sailed to the shores of North America in the late 10th century, predating the voyages of Christopher Columbus by several centuries. His daring exploits were celebrated in Norse legends and folklore.
In the 13th century, Bre the Brave was a prominent Norse chieftain who led his people in battles against invading forces. His bravery and leadership skills were widely praised, and he became a symbol of Norse resistance and resilience.
Bre the Storyteller was a renowned bard and storyteller from the 14th century, whose tales and poems captured the imagination of audiences across Scandinavia. His works were passed down through generations, preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Norse people.
While the name Bre has its roots in the Old Norse language, it has since been adopted and adapted by various cultures around the world, each with their own interpretations and associations. However, the historical significance and legacy of this name remains deeply ingrained in the Norse tradition, celebrating values of strength, courage, and resilience.
People
Bre + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bre 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
Bre: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bre?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 446 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bre 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 768,507 US residents.
Is Bre a common name?
We classify Bre as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 461 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bre most popular?
The single biggest year for Bre was 2006, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bre is about 29 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Bre a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bre in the SSA data are female. 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.