Where does the name Brian come from?

Brian is a boy name of Irish origin.

Is Brian a boy or a girl name?

Brian is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Brian are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Brian in 2023?

Brian ranks #317 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1972 with 36,477 babies.

How do you pronounce Brian?

Brian is pronounced BRY-an (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Brian?

Brian is also written as Bryan, Brion, Briain.

A name from Irish · Boy

Brian

From the Old Irish element bri meaning 'hill' (with an extended sense of 'noble' or 'high'); often translated as 'strong' or 'virtuous'. Brian Boru, the 11th-century High King who unified Ireland and fell at the Battle of Clontarf, made the name a national emblem.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 114-year arc in numbers.

1,171,640 U.S. births recorded from 1909–2023.

Popularity · 1909–2023

1,049 births in 2023

1909 1966 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

BFrom the Old Irish element bri meaning 'hill' (with an extended sense of 'noble' or 'high'); often translated as 'strong' or 'virtuous'. Brian Boru, the 11th-century High King who unified Ireland and fell at the Battle of Clontarf, made the name a national emblem.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Brian".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Bryan Most common Brion Briain

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Brian.

B
Brian Boru (Irish High King)
B
Brian May (Queen guitarist)
B
Brian Wilson (Beach Boys)

Quick answers

People often ask about Brian.

What does the name Brian mean?: Brian means from the Old Irish element bri meaning 'hill' (with an extended sense of 'noble' or 'high'); often translated as 'strong' or 'virtuous'. Brian Boru, the 11th-century High King who unified Ireland and fell at the Battle of Clontarf, made the name a national emblem.
Where does the name Brian come from?: Brian is a boy name of Irish origin.
Is Brian a boy or a girl name?: Brian is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Brian are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Brian in 2023?: Brian ranks #317 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1972 with 36,477 babies.
How do you pronounce Brian?: Brian is pronounced BRY-an (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Brian?: Brian is also written as Bryan, Brion, Briain.

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Variant spelling of Brian — from Old Irish bri meaning 'hill' or, by extension, 'noble' or 'strong'

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From the Irish Éirinn, the dative form of Éire — the poetic name for Ireland itself, from a primordial Gaelic goddess associated with the land

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.