Brian first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Brian has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Brian

A masculine name of Celtic origin meaning "noble" or "high".

Popularity of Brian by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Brian is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Brian being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,044 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Brian.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 1,044 0
2022 1,170 0
2021 1,188 0
2020 1,259 0
2019 1,474 0
2018 1,627 0
2017 1,777 0
2016 1,983 0
2015 2,213 5
2014 2,534 0
2013 2,644 5
2012 2,817 11
2011 3,244 5
2010 3,766 8
2009 4,653 6
2008 5,261 9
2007 6,073 23
2006 6,510 8
2005 6,919 24
2004 7,331 42
2003 7,672 20
2002 8,082 19
2001 8,303 16
2000 8,957 30
1999 8,808 20
1998 9,143 25
1997 9,734 24
1996 10,475 29
1995 10,988 53
1994 11,645 36
1993 12,543 44
1992 14,105 42
1991 14,913 48
1990 16,933 51
1989 18,106 70
1988 19,528 126
1987 20,365 126
1986 21,030 142
1985 23,065 137
1984 24,729 147
1983 26,053 156
1982 25,831 147
1981 26,591 144
1980 28,719 173
1979 28,669 158
1978 29,441 171
1977 32,495 181
1976 30,530 154
1975 30,602 151
1974 34,452 138

The history of the first name Brian

The name Brian has its origins in the Celtic language of ancient Britain and Ireland. It is derived from the Old Celtic words "bri" meaning hill or high place, and "an" meaning small or little. In its earliest form, the name was likely spelled "Brianan" or a similar variation.

The name Brian gained popularity during the medieval period, particularly in Ireland where it was borne by several notable historical figures. One of the earliest recorded instances is Brian Boru, an Irish king who ruled in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. He is renowned for driving the Viking invaders out of Ireland and establishing a unified Irish kingdom.

Another notable Brian from Irish history is Brian O'Nolan, a 20th century novelist and satirist who wrote under the pen name Flann O'Brien. He was born in 1911 and passed away in 1966. His works, such as "At Swim-Two-Birds" and "The Third Policeman," are considered classics of Irish literature.

The name Brian also has a strong presence in Welsh history, with one of the earliest recorded examples being Brian the Pious, a 9th-century king of Gwynedd. He is remembered for his efforts in promoting Christianity and establishing monasteries throughout his kingdom.

In the realm of religion, the name Brian appears in various texts and manuscripts, although its use was not as widespread as other biblical names. One notable instance is Saint Brian, a 7th-century Irish monk and missionary who is venerated in the Catholic Church.

Beyond Ireland and Wales, the name Brian has been adopted in various cultures and languages throughout history. In ancient Rome, there was a general named Flavius Heraclius Bryanus who led the Byzantine army in the 7th century. In literature, one of the most famous Brians is the character Brian of Nazareth from the Monty Python film "Life of Brian," released in 1979.

Other notable figures named Brian include Brian Jones, the founding member and guitarist of the Rolling Stones; Brian Epstein, the legendary manager of the Beatles; and Brian Friel, the celebrated Irish dramatist known for plays like "Dancing at Lughnasa" and "Translations," who lived from 1929 to 2015.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Brian was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Brian, please contact us.

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"Brian first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 4, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/brian-meaning-and-history/.

"Brian first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/brian-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 4 December, 2024

Brian first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/brian-meaning-and-history/.

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