Brian
How to say it: BRY-un · /ˈbraɪən/
From Old Irish 'brian', meaning 'high', 'noble', or 'strong'. Famously borne by High King Brian Boru of Ireland.
Brian was the 198th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 979 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1970s, its births are down about 58% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #263 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #198 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 979 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,671 |
| Peak decade | 1970s |
| Change over 10 years | −58% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #263 |
| In France, 2025 | #356 among boys’ names, 20 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Popularity fell away after the 1970s high for Brian. Now far below that peak, it is expected to grow rarer in the near future.
What goes with it
Two beats pair soft tones with crisp consonants and a strong impression. Sean shares its style.
Middle names that flow with Brian →
Honouring a Brian in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Brian is about 1 in 70.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, English, French, Irish, Norwegian, Scottish Gaelic, Swedish.
In France: #356 for boys in 2025.
Ireland: #254.
Famous people named Brian
- Brian May (born 1947)British musician
- Brian David Josephson (born 1940)Welsh physicist
- Brian Schmidt (born 1967)American-born Australian astrophysicist
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Brian Griffin, talking dog on Family Guy, is the name's dominant pop reference.
Keep exploring
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