Brenner
A masculine German name meaning "burner" or "charcoal burner".
Name Census estimates that about 1,195 living Americans carry the first name Brenner. It is a predominantly male name (99.2% of registrations). The average person named Brenner today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Brenner births was 2008 (76 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Brenner. 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
1.2K
~ 1 in 286,824 Americans
Peak year
2008
76 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,077
Tracked since 1979
Gender
Gender distribution for Brenner
Out of the 1,210 babies given the name Brenner since 1880, 99.2% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Brenner as a male name
- Ranked #4,077 in 2024
- 26 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2008 (76 births)
Brenner as a female name
- Ranked #16,680 in 2016
- 5 female births in 2016
- Peak: 2010 (5 births)
Popularity
Brenner: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Brenner 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 472 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
Brenner 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 Brenner during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Brenners live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. Texas, California, Missouri recorded the most babies named Brenner, while Utah, Ohio, Washington recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Brenner
The name Brenner is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "brenner," which means "burner" or "one who burns." This name likely originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, and was initially an occupational surname given to individuals who worked as burners, such as charcoal burners or glass makers.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Brenner can be found in historical records from various regions of Germany, particularly in areas where glassmaking or charcoal burning were prominent industries. The name may have also been associated with those who worked with fire, such as blacksmiths or potters.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Brenner was Hans Brenner, a German glassmaker who lived in the 15th century. He is credited with introducing new techniques in glassmaking and contributing to the development of the industry in Germany.
In the 16th century, there was a German Protestant reformer named Thomas Brenner, who played a significant role in the Reformation movement. He worked alongside Martin Luther and was known for his translations of religious texts.
Another historical figure with the name Brenner was Johann Georg Brenner, a German botanist and physician who lived in the 17th century. He made significant contributions to the study of plants and published several works on botany.
In the 18th century, there was a German composer and organist named Christian Gottlob Brenner, who was renowned for his compositions for the organ and his contributions to church music.
A more recent individual with the name Brenner was Hildegard Brenner, a German opera singer who gained prominence in the early 20th century. She was born in 1889 and was celebrated for her performances in various operas by Wagner, Strauss, and other composers.
While the name Brenner originated as an occupational surname, it has since evolved into a given name, particularly in German-speaking regions. Its connection to fire, burning, and crafts involving heat and flames has contributed to its unique and distinctive character.
People
Brenner + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Brenner 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
Brenner: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Brenner?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,195 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Brenner 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 286,824 US residents.
Is Brenner a common name?
We classify Brenner as "Rare". It ranks above 91.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,210 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Brenner most popular?
The single biggest year for Brenner was 2008, when 76 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Brenner is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Brenner a male name?
Yes, 99.2% of people registered as Brenner 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.