Brogen
Of uncertain origin, potentially a diminutive form of a longer name.
Name Census estimates that about 174 living Americans carry the first name Brogen. It is a predominantly male name (96.6% of registrations). The average person named Brogen today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Brogen births was 2009 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Brogen. 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
174
~ 1 in 1,969,853 Americans
Peak year
2009
21 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2022 SSA rank
#9,105
Tracked since 2000
Gender
Gender distribution for Brogen
Brogen leans heavily male at 96.6% of total registrations, but 6 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Brogen as a male name
- Ranked #9,105 in 2022
- 8 male births in 2022
- Peak: 2009 (21 births)
Brogen as a female name
- Ranked #14,101 in 2018
- 6 female births in 2018
- Peak: 2018 (6 births)
Popularity
Brogen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Brogen from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 85 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Brogen 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 Brogen 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 Brogen
The name Brogen is believed to have its origins in the ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of what is now Ireland and Scotland. Its earliest known form was likely 'Brogán', derived from the Old Irish word 'bróg' meaning 'shoe' or 'boot'. This suggests the name may have originally referred to a shoemaker or someone associated with the trade of making footwear.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 1021, a certain 'Brogán mac Conchobair' is mentioned as being involved in a conflict between rival factions. This would place the use of the name in Ireland as far back as the early 11th century.
In the 12th century, a Scottish nobleman named Brogen of Galloway is recorded as having led a rebellion against King David I of Scotland. Though ultimately unsuccessful, this event highlights the presence of the name in Scotland during this time period.
Moving forward to the 15th century, we find mention of an Irish poet and bard named Brogen O'Higgin. He is said to have composed several works praising the exploits of various Gaelic chieftains and lords.
In the 17th century, there was a Brogen Fitzgerald who served as a captain in the Irish Confederate forces during the Irish Confederate Wars. He fought against the English parliamentary forces and was killed in action in 1642.
Another notable figure was Brogen MacNeil, a Scottish Jacobite who participated in the rising of 1745 in support of the House of Stuart's claim to the British throne. He was captured following the Battle of Culloden in 1746 and subsequently executed for his role in the rebellion.
While less common in modern times, the name Brogen has persisted throughout history, carrying with it a rich heritage and connections to various cultural and historical events across the Celtic regions of the British Isles.
People
Brogen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Brogen 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
Brogen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Brogen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 174 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Brogen 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 1,969,853 US residents.
Is Brogen a common name?
We classify Brogen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 176 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Brogen most popular?
The single biggest year for Brogen was 2009, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Brogen is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Brogen a male name?
Yes, 96.6% of people registered as Brogen 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.