Breaker
One who breaks or destroys things or overcomes obstacles.
Name Census estimates that about 67 living Americans carry the first name Breaker. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Breaker today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Breaker births was 2012 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Breaker. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Breaker. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
67
~ 1 in 5,115,736 Americans
Peak year
2012
12 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2019 SSA rank
#12,413
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Breaker: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Breaker 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 Breaker during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 68 | 0 | 68 |
Geography
Where Breakers live
Origin
Meaning and history of Breaker
The name Breaker has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the word "brecan," which means "to break" or "to shatter." This name likely emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period, between the 5th and 11th centuries, when the use of Old English was prevalent in what is now England and parts of Scotland.
The etymology of the name Breaker suggests a strong, powerful connotation, perhaps referring to someone who breaks barriers or overcomes obstacles. It may have been used as a descriptive name for individuals who displayed great strength or resilience.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Breaker can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and taxation compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a tenant farmer named Breaker living in Wiltshire, England.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Breaker. One such figure was Breaker Morant (1862-1902), an Australian drover, horseman, and soldier who gained notoriety during the Second Boer War for his involvement in the controversial shooting of Boer prisoners and civilians.
Another prominent Breaker was Breaker Borg (1943-2017), a professional wrestler from Hawaii who competed in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE) during the 1960s and 1970s.
In the realm of literature, Breaker Buchanan was the protagonist in a series of Western novels written by American author Jon Sharpe in the late 20th century. The character, known for his toughness and resilience, appeared in several popular novels, including "Breaker's Run" and "Breaker's Law."
The name Breaker also gained recognition in the world of sports. Breaker Morant (1899-1945) was an Australian rules football player who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League (now Australian Football League) during the 1920s.
Another notable figure was Breaker Britton (1882-1950), an American baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball for several teams, including the Boston Red Sox and New York Giants, in the early 20th century.
While the name Breaker may not be as common today as it once was, its historical significance and powerful connotations make it a unique and distinctive choice, rooted in the rich linguistic heritage of Old English.
People
Breaker + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Breaker 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
Breaker: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Breaker?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 67 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Breaker 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 5,115,736 US residents.
Is Breaker a common name?
We classify Breaker as "Very Rare". It ranks above 58.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 68 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Breaker most popular?
The single biggest year for Breaker was 2012, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Breaker is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Breaker in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Breaker a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Breaker 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.
Is Breaker still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Breaker in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Breaker can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Breaker?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.