Obrain
A masculine given name derived from Irish Gaelic meaning "descendant of Bran".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Obrain. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Obrain today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Obrain births was 1985 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Obrain. 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 Obrain. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1985
5 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
1985 SSA rank
#7,288
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Obrain: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Obrain 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 Obrain during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Obrain
The given name Obrain originates from the Gaelic language and culture, with its roots dating back to ancient Celtic societies in Ireland and Scotland. The name is derived from the Old Irish word "Bráin," which means "brave" or "virtuous."
In the early medieval period, the name Obrain was commonly used among the Gaelic-speaking clans and kingdoms of Ireland and Scotland. It was often borne by warriors, chieftains, and nobility who embodied the virtues of bravery and honor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Obrain can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The Annals mention an Obrain mac Cennétig, who was the King of Uí Cheinnselaig (a medieval Irish kingdom) in the 7th century.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Obrain was associated with several notable individuals in Ireland and Scotland. One such figure was Obrain mac Domnaill, a 12th-century Scottish nobleman and military commander who fought alongside King William the Lion of Scotland.
Another historically significant bearer of the name was Obrain Ó Maoilchonaire, a 15th-century Irish poet and historian from County Sligo. His works, including the "Book of Obrain," are considered important sources for understanding the culture and history of medieval Ireland.
In the 16th century, Obrain mac Ruaidhri was a prominent Irish chieftain and leader of the Clan MacRory in Ulster. He was known for his resistance against the English crown during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.
During the 17th century, Obrain O'Neill was a notable Irish soldier and military commander who served in the Irish Confederate Wars and the Williamite War in Ireland. He was a member of the powerful O'Neill dynasty and fought against the English forces.
While the name Obrain has its roots in the Gaelic cultures of Ireland and Scotland, it has also been adopted and adapted in other parts of the world over time. However, its historical significance and associations with bravery, virtue, and Celtic heritage remain deeply embedded in its essence.
People
Obrain + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Obrain as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Obrain: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Obrain?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Obrain 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Obrain a common name?
We classify Obrain as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Obrain most popular?
The single biggest year for Obrain was 1985, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Obrain is about 39 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 Obrain in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Obrain a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Obrain 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 Obrain still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Obrain 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 Obrain 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 common is the name Obrain?
See how many Americans are named Obrain on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.