Brendan
Anglicized form of the name of Irish saints, Irish Bréanainn (via Latin Brendanus), from Old Irish Brénainn, from Old Welsh breenhin (“prince, king”), ultimately from…
Every Brendan since 1912 — 92,141 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Brendan
Brendan is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,098 in 2025 with 195 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1912, 92,141 American babies have been named Brendan. Its peak came in 1999, when 4,005 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Brendan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Brendan 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 | — | — | 195 | #1,098 |
| 2024 | — | — | 222 | #1,009 |
| 2023 | — | — | 262 | #888 |
| 2022 | — | — | 269 | #881 |
| 2021 | — | — | 327 | #767 |
| 2020 | — | — | 344 | #722 |
| 2019 | — | — | 422 | #638 |
| 2018 | — | — | 490 | #562 |
| 2017 | — | — | 560 | #517 |
| 2016 | — | — | 688 | #450 |
| 2015 | — | — | 826 | #387 |
| 2014 | — | — | 922 | #352 |
| 2013 | — | — | 1,009 | #326 |
| 2012 | — | — | 1,149 | #301 |
| 2011 | — | — | 1,315 | #263 |
| 2010 | — | — | 1,527 | #231 |
| 2009 | — | — | 1,762 | #212 |
| 2008 | 8 | #12,781 | 1,887 | #207 |
| 2007 | — | — | 1,927 | #205 |
| 2006 | — | — | 2,171 | #185 |
| 2005 | 7 | #13,237 | 2,360 | #176 |
| 2004 | 17 | #6,832 | 2,719 | #150 |
| 2003 | 5 | #16,162 | 2,867 | #141 |
| 2002 | 10 | #9,601 | 3,141 | #124 |
| 2001 | 5 | #15,730 | 3,345 | #115 |
| 2000 | 10 | #9,269 | 3,657 | #101 |
| 1995 | 11 | #7,585 | 2,692 | #133 |
| 1990 | 9 | #8,574 | 1,996 | #155 |
| 1985 | 11 | #6,068 | 1,382 | #185 |
| 1980 | 11 | #5,954 | 1,102 | #219 |
| 1975 | 6 | #8,094 | 654 | #292 |
| 1970 | — | — | 568 | #336 |
| 1965 | — | — | 307 | #439 |
| 1960 | — | — | 217 | #538 |
| 1955 | — | — | 98 | #736 |
| 1950 | — | — | 61 | #880 |
| 1945 | — | — | 48 | #928 |
| 1940 | — | — | 32 | #1,185 |
| 1935 | — | — | 34 | #1,127 |
| 1930 | — | — | 21 | #1,606 |
| 1925 | — | — | 20 | #1,748 |
| 1920 | — | — | 11 | #2,622 |
| 1915 | — | — | 7 | #3,124 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Brendan
- Brendan Religious figure · 484–578
- Brendan Gleeson Actor · b. 1955
- Brendan Fraser Actor · b. 1968
- Brendan Behan Writer · 1923–1964
- Brendan Eich Businessperson · b. 1961
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Brendan mean?
Anglicized form of the name of Irish saints, Irish Bréanainn (via Latin Brendanus), from Old Irish Brénainn, from Old Welsh breenhin (“prince, king”), ultimately from Proto-Celtic *brigantīnos (“(someone) preeminent,…
How popular is the name Brendan in 2025?
Brendan ranked #1,098 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 195 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Brendan?
92,141 babies have been named Brendan in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Brendan most popular?
Brendan peaked in 1999, when 4,005 newborns received the name.
Is Brendan a boy or girl name?
Brendan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Brendan rising or falling?
Brendan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Brendan?
Well-known people named Brendan include Brendan (religious figure), Brendan Gleeson (actor), Brendan Fraser (actor).