Find out how popular the first name Briggs has been for the last 45 years (from 1979 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Briggs by gender

Based on the last 45 years of data, Briggs is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Briggs being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 982 male babies and 11 female babies born with the name Briggs.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 11 baby girls were named Briggs in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Briggs

The name Briggs is an English surname that originated as a patronymic, meaning "son of Brigg." The name Brigg is derived from the Old Norse word "bryggja," which means "bridge" or "jetty." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a bridge or worked as a bridge builder or toll collector.

The earliest known record of the name Briggs as a given name dates back to the late 16th century. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this first name was Henry Briggs, a prominent English mathematician and geometer who lived from 1561 to 1630. He is best known for his work on logarithms and for introducing the modern decimal notation for logarithms.

Another notable figure with the name Briggs was Charles Augustus Briggs, an American Presbyterian scholar who lived from 1841 to 1913. He was a prominent Bible scholar and one of the founders of the American Society of Church History. Briggs played a significant role in the higher criticism of the Bible and faced charges of heresy for his views on biblical inerrancy.

Briggs Cunningham, born in 1907 and died in 2003, was an American entrepreneur, sportsman, and race car constructor. He was a pioneer in the field of sports car racing and was instrumental in bringing European-style road racing to the United States. Cunningham's racing team, Briggs Cunningham Racing, competed in numerous prestigious events, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In the field of literature, Briggs Tanner was an American author and journalist who lived from 1911 to 1978. He is best known for his novel "The Circle of the Day," which was published in 1956 and received critical acclaim for its portrayal of small-town life in the American South.

Another individual with the name Briggs was Cyril Briggs, an Australian artist and illustrator who lived from 1888 to 1966. He is renowned for his illustrations of Australian flora and fauna, particularly his depictions of native wildflowers, which earned him widespread recognition and appreciation.

While the name Briggs is not as common as some other given names, it has been carried by several notable individuals throughout history, particularly in the fields of mathematics, academia, sports, and the arts.

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 Briggs was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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