Find out how popular the first name Brooke has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Brooke by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Brooke is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Brooke being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,032 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Brooke.

The history of the first name Brooke

The name Brooke is an English given name derived from the Old English word "broc," meaning a small stream or brook. The name has been around since at least the 12th century, with records showing it was used as both a surname and a given name during that time.

The earliest known person to bear the name Brooke was Brooke, a 12th-century English nobleman who lived during the reign of King Henry II. Another notable early bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Brooke, a 14th-century English soldier and knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War.

In literature, the name Brooke appears in several works, including Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," where a character named Brooke is mentioned. The name also appears in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," where Brooke is the name of one of the characters.

One of the most famous historical figures with the name Brooke was Sir Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke (1554-1628), an English poet, dramatist, and statesman who served as a close friend and councillor to Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Brooke-Pechell (1724-1809), a British military officer and Member of Parliament who served in the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901) was an English bishop and biblical scholar who co-authored the Westcott and Hort text of the New Testament.

More recently, Brooke Shields (born 1965) is an American actress, model, and author who rose to prominence as a child actress in the 1970s and 1980s.

Overall, the name Brooke has a long and rich history, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages and a strong connection to English culture and literature.

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

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

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