Brett
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
Every Brett since 1926 — 162,513 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Brett
Brett is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,382 in 2025 with 133 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1926, 162,513 American babies have been named Brett. Its peak came in 1986, when 4,904 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Brett stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Brett 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 | 11 | #8,961 | 133 | #1,382 |
| 2024 | 15 | #7,312 | 207 | #1,058 |
| 2023 | 12 | #8,576 | 187 | #1,130 |
| 2022 | 21 | #5,819 | 216 | #1,027 |
| 2021 | 20 | #5,990 | 201 | #1,064 |
| 2020 | 17 | #6,682 | 241 | #925 |
| 2019 | 8 | #11,549 | 275 | #820 |
| 2018 | 12 | #8,704 | 288 | #788 |
| 2017 | 16 | #7,152 | 315 | #748 |
| 2016 | 22 | #5,830 | 333 | #733 |
| 2015 | 5 | #16,902 | 324 | #745 |
| 2014 | 17 | #7,045 | 386 | #664 |
| 2013 | 10 | #10,396 | 360 | #669 |
| 2012 | 19 | #6,646 | 427 | #596 |
| 2011 | 12 | #9,261 | 510 | #509 |
| 2010 | 19 | #6,695 | 729 | #389 |
| 2009 | 14 | #8,525 | 766 | #392 |
| 2008 | 28 | #5,165 | 1,070 | #311 |
| 2007 | 18 | #7,135 | 958 | #333 |
| 2006 | 16 | #7,546 | 1,082 | #304 |
| 2005 | 28 | #4,725 | 1,389 | #243 |
| 2004 | 41 | #3,571 | 1,565 | #222 |
| 2003 | 32 | #4,124 | 1,614 | #217 |
| 2002 | 23 | #5,110 | 1,868 | #198 |
| 2001 | 37 | #3,559 | 1,964 | #188 |
| 2000 | 41 | #3,279 | 2,383 | #163 |
| 1995 | 117 | #1,401 | 3,567 | #106 |
| 1990 | 78 | #1,828 | 4,394 | #84 |
| 1985 | 95 | #1,365 | 4,328 | #70 |
| 1980 | 79 | #1,502 | 3,128 | #96 |
| 1975 | 66 | #1,529 | 2,779 | #92 |
| 1970 | 45 | #1,906 | 3,370 | #99 |
| 1965 | 29 | #2,209 | 2,342 | #132 |
| 1960 | 20 | #2,745 | 2,320 | #151 |
| 1955 | 7 | #4,785 | 464 | #341 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,359 | 215 | #449 |
| 1945 | — | — | 26 | #1,299 |
| 1940 | — | — | 14 | #1,907 |
| 1935 | — | — | 5 | #3,711 |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Brett
- Brett Cullen Actor · b. 1956
- Brett Lunger Racing driver · b. 1945
- Brett Kavanaugh Judge · b. 1965
- Brett Tucker Actor · b. 1972
- Brett Ratner Film director · b. 1969
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Brett mean?
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Brett in 2025?
Brett ranked #1,382 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 133 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Brett?
162,513 babies have been named Brett in the United States since 1926, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Brett most popular?
Brett peaked in 1986, when 4,904 newborns received the name.
Is Brett a boy or girl name?
Brett is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Brett rising or falling?
Brett is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Brett?
Well-known people named Brett include Brett Cullen (actor), Brett Lunger (racing driver), Brett Kavanaugh (judge).