Brendan
How to say it: BREN-dun · /ˈbrɛndən/
From Irish 'Breanainn', likely from Old Welsh 'breenhin' meaning 'prince'. Name of a famous Irish saint.
Brendan was the 784th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 195 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are down about 77% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,173 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #784 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 195 |
| Share of births | 1 in 11,592 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | −77% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,173 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Brendan hit its high in the 1990s and has grown scarcer ever since. It rests far below that peak and looks set to slip further.
What goes with it
Softly rolling with a clipped opening, it holds a saintly quality. Declan makes a natural stylistic companion.
Nicknames
- Bren
Honouring a Brendan in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Brendan is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Irish.
Ireland: #407.
Famous people named Brendan
- Brendan Fraser (born 1968)Canadian-American actor
- Brendan Gleeson (born 1955)Irish actor
- Brendan Rodgers (born 1973)Northern Irish association football manager
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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