Brik
A gender-neutral name of unknown origin, possibly a variant of "Brikhah" meaning "blessing".
Name Census estimates that about 44 living Americans carry the first name Brik. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Brik today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Brik births was 2013 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Brik. 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 Brik. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
44
~ 1 in 7,789,871 Americans
Peak year
2013
9 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2020 SSA rank
#10,794
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Brik: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Brik from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 33 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Brik 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 Brik during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Brik
The name Brik is believed to originate from the Old Norse language, with roots tracing back to the Viking era in Scandinavia around the 8th to 11th centuries AD. It is thought to have derived from the Old Norse words "brik" or "brikja," which referred to a piece of broken wood or a fragment.
In ancient Norse mythology, there are references to a mythical being called Brik, who was said to be a mischievous spirit associated with woodlands and forests. This legendary figure was often depicted as a small, impish creature with a penchant for playing tricks on unsuspecting travelers.
The earliest recorded use of the name Brik can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of historical narratives and tales from the Viking age. One notable mention is in the Saga of Gisli the Outlaw, where a character named Brik Sokkason is described as a skilled archer and warrior.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Brik. One of the earliest was Brik Thorvaldsson (c. 980 - 1045), a Norse explorer and navigator who is said to have accompanied Leif Erikson on his voyage to Vinland (present-day Newfoundland, Canada) around the year 1000 AD.
During the Middle Ages, the name Brik was also found in parts of Europe, particularly in the Scandinavian regions. One notable figure was Brik Jarlsson (c. 1210 - 1275), a Swedish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Swedish-Novgorodian Wars against the Novgorod Republic.
In more recent times, the name Brik has been relatively uncommon, though there have been a few individuals of note. Brik Halvorsen (1893 - 1975) was a Norwegian architect and designer who played a significant role in the development of modernist architecture in his country.
Another notable figure was Brik Eriksson (1917 - 2001), a Swedish athlete who competed in the decathlon at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where he won a bronze medal for his home country.
While the name Brik has its roots in ancient Norse culture and mythology, it has remained a relatively rare and distinctive name throughout history. Its connection to the natural world and the spirit of exploration and adventure has made it a unique and evocative choice for parents seeking a name with a strong cultural heritage.
People
Brik + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Brik 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
Brik: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Brik?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 44 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Brik 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 7,789,871 US residents.
Is Brik a common name?
We classify Brik as "Very Rare". It ranks above 52.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 44 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Brik most popular?
The single biggest year for Brik was 2013, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Brik is about 14 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 Brik in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Brik a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Brik 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 Brik still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Brik 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 Brik 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 Americans are named Brik?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.