Brodin
A Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse word "broddr" meaning "spike" or "spear point".
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the first name Brodin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Brodin today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Brodin births was 2010 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Brodin. 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
131
~ 1 in 2,616,445 Americans
Peak year
2010
15 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2019 SSA rank
#12,433
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Brodin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Brodin from the 1990s through to the 2010s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 61 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Brodin 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 Brodin 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 Brodin
The name Brodin has its roots in the Old Norse language, originating in Scandinavia during the Viking Age. It is derived from the Old Norse word "broðir," meaning "brother," and the suffix "-in," which often denoted a diminutive or affectionate form. This suggests that Brodin may have initially been used as a term of endearment, possibly referring to a younger or beloved brother.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Brodin can be found in ancient Norse sagas and legends, where it was often borne by minor characters or warriors. However, one notable historical figure was Brodin the Skald, a renowned poet and storyteller who lived in Iceland during the 11th century. His works, although largely lost to time, were celebrated for their vivid depictions of Norse mythology and heroic tales.
In the 12th century, a Danish chieftain named Brodin Thorvaldsson was recorded as leading a successful raid against a rival clan. His exploits were documented in the Icelandic Annals, and he was renowned for his bravery and strategic prowess on the battlefield.
During the Crusades, a Swedish knight known as Brodin of Uppsala gained recognition for his valor in the Holy Land. He fought alongside the Knights Templar and is said to have participated in the siege of Acre in 1191, where he reportedly slew a powerful Saracen commander in single combat.
In the 14th century, a Norwegian explorer named Brodin Haraldsson is believed to have been among the first Europeans to set foot in North America, predating the voyages of Christopher Columbus by nearly a century. His journey is documented in the Vinland Sagas, although the exact details of his explorations remain shrouded in mystery.
Another noteworthy figure was Brodin Eriksson, a Swedish scholar and theologian who lived in the late 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the Swedish Reformation and played a crucial role in translating the Bible into the Swedish language, making it accessible to a wider audience.
While the name Brodin has largely fallen out of common usage in modern times, it remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Norse and Scandinavian peoples, evoking images of brave warriors, intrepid explorers, and skilled storytellers from a bygone era.
People
Brodin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Brodin 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
Brodin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Brodin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 131 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Brodin 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 2,616,445 US residents.
Is Brodin a common name?
We classify Brodin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 132 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Brodin most popular?
The single biggest year for Brodin was 2010, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Brodin is about 18 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 Brodin in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Brodin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Brodin 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 Brodin still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Brodin 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 Brodin 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 Brodin?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.