Brad
A diminutive of the male given names Bradley, Bradly, and Bradford, also used as a formal given name.
Every Brad since 1880 — 83,293 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Brad
Brad is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,267 in 2025 with 24 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 83,293 American babies have been named Brad. Its peak came in 1960, when 2,651 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Brad stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Brad year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 24 | #4,267 |
| 2024 | — | — | 26 | #4,091 |
| 2023 | — | — | 28 | #3,901 |
| 2022 | — | — | 32 | #3,545 |
| 2021 | — | — | 36 | #3,251 |
| 2020 | — | — | 41 | #2,889 |
| 2019 | — | — | 40 | #2,999 |
| 2018 | — | — | 54 | #2,419 |
| 2017 | — | — | 55 | #2,351 |
| 2016 | — | — | 50 | #2,521 |
| 2015 | — | — | 88 | #1,744 |
| 2014 | — | — | 76 | #1,908 |
| 2013 | — | — | 86 | #1,711 |
| 2012 | — | — | 99 | #1,589 |
| 2011 | — | — | 117 | #1,411 |
| 2010 | — | — | 117 | #1,415 |
| 2009 | — | — | 145 | #1,234 |
| 2008 | — | — | 166 | #1,105 |
| 2007 | — | — | 206 | #955 |
| 2006 | — | — | 214 | #906 |
| 2005 | — | — | 228 | #824 |
| 2004 | — | — | 212 | #838 |
| 2003 | — | — | 215 | #809 |
| 2002 | — | — | 231 | #749 |
| 2001 | — | — | 263 | #685 |
| 2000 | — | — | 289 | #632 |
| 1995 | — | — | 398 | #513 |
| 1990 | — | — | 649 | #363 |
| 1985 | 7 | #8,435 | 1,143 | #211 |
| 1980 | 11 | #5,950 | 2,371 | #116 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,552 | 2,608 | #98 |
| 1970 | 13 | #4,257 | 2,327 | #139 |
| 1965 | — | — | 2,091 | #148 |
| 1960 | 7 | #5,219 | 2,644 | #134 |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,911 | 1,877 | #153 |
| 1950 | — | — | 460 | #320 |
| 1945 | — | — | 73 | #709 |
| 1940 | — | — | 31 | #1,211 |
| 1935 | — | — | 27 | #1,298 |
| 1930 | — | — | 8 | #3,054 |
| 1925 | — | — | 5 | #4,278 |
| 1920 | — | — | 11 | #2,621 |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #929 |
Famous people named Brad
- Brad Pitt Actor · b. 1963
- Brad Dourif Actor · b. 1950
- Brad Davis Actor · 1949–1991
- Brad Dexter Actor · 1917–2002
- Brad Bird Film director · b. 1957
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Brad mean?
A diminutive of the male given names Bradley, Bradly, and Bradford, also used as a formal given name.
How popular is the name Brad in 2025?
Brad ranked #4,267 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 24 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Brad?
83,293 babies have been named Brad in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Brad most popular?
Brad peaked in 1960, when 2,651 newborns received the name.
Is Brad a boy or girl name?
Brad is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Brad rising or falling?
Brad is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Brad?
Well-known people named Brad include Brad Pitt (actor), Brad Dourif (actor), Brad Davis (actor).