Brodrick
A masculine name derived from an English surname meaning "dweller by the broad ridge".
Name Census estimates that about 1,709 living Americans carry the first name Brodrick. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Brodrick today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Brodrick births was 1989 (56 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Brodrick. 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
1.7K
~ 1 in 200,558 Americans
Peak year
1989
56 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2023 SSA rank
#6,589
Tracked since 1956
Popularity
Brodrick: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Brodrick from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 430 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Brodrick 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 Brodrick during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Brodricks live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Texas, Louisiana, Florida recorded the most babies named Brodrick, while Mississippi, California, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 92 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Brodrick
The name Brodrick is believed to have originated from the Old English language, with roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is derived from the words "brod," meaning "broad," and "ric," meaning "powerful" or "ruler." Thus, the name Brodrick can be interpreted as "broad ruler" or "powerful leader."
During the Middle Ages, the name Brodrick was primarily found in regions of England, particularly in the northern counties. It was commonly used among the Anglo-Saxon nobility and landowners, reflecting their status and authority. However, the name's popularity declined after the Norman Conquest in 1066, as many traditional Anglo-Saxon names were replaced by Norman French names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brodrick can be found in the Domesday Book, a detailed survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as Broderic, Brodrik, and Broderick, indicating its longstanding presence in the region.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Brodrick. One of the most famous was Brodrick the Saxon, a prominent landowner and military leader during the reign of King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century. He played a crucial role in defending England against Viking invasions and was highly regarded for his bravery and strategic prowess.
Another notable figure was Brodrick Annersley (1637-1686), an English politician and member of Parliament during the 17th century. He was known for his involvement in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which led to the overthrow of King James II and the establishment of the constitutional monarchy in England.
In the 18th century, Brodrick Hartwell (1715-1789) was a renowned English architect and surveyor. He designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, and was also involved in the construction of the famous Eddystone Lighthouse off the coast of Cornwall.
During the 19th century, Brodrick Cloete (1816-1898) was a prominent South African politician and author. He served as a member of the Cape Colony Parliament and played a significant role in shaping the region's political landscape. His writings, which included novels and historical accounts, provided valuable insights into the cultural and social dynamics of South Africa during that time.
One of the most recent historical figures with the name Brodrick was Brodrick Haldane (1876-1965), a British naval officer and diplomat. He served in the Royal Navy during World War I and later held various diplomatic positions, including Ambassador to Spain and Portugal.
While the name Brodrick has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, its rich history and deep-rooted connections to the Anglo-Saxon culture and nobility make it a fascinating and unique name with a strong sense of tradition and power.
People
Brodrick + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Brodrick 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
Brodrick: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Brodrick?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,709 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Brodrick 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 200,558 US residents.
Is Brodrick a common name?
We classify Brodrick as "Rare". It ranks above 93% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,779 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Brodrick most popular?
The single biggest year for Brodrick was 1989, when 56 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Brodrick is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Brodrick a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Brodrick 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.