Where does the name Bruce come from?

Bruce is a boy name of Scottish origin.

Is Bruce a boy or a girl name?

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

How popular is the name Bruce in 2023?

Bruce ranks #542 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1956 with 14,693 babies.

How do you pronounce Bruce?

Bruce is pronounced BROOS (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Bruce?

Bruce is also written as Bruse.

A name from Scottish · Boy

Bruce

From the Norman-French family name de Brus, brought to Britain after 1066 and ultimately from a place name in Normandy. Robert the Bruce won Scottish independence at Bannockburn in 1314.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

385,767 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

547 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

BFrom the Norman-French family name de Brus, brought to Britain after 1066 and ultimately from a place name in Normandy. Robert the Bruce won Scottish independence at Bannockburn in 1314.

Variants & spellings

1 ways to spell "Bruce".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Bruse Most common

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Bruce.

B
Bruce Springsteen (musician)
B
Bruce Lee (martial artist)
B
Robert the Bruce (King of Scots)

Quick answers

People often ask about Bruce.

What does the name Bruce mean?: Bruce means from the Norman-French family name de Brus, brought to Britain after 1066 and ultimately from a place name in Normandy. Robert the Bruce won Scottish independence at Bannockburn in 1314.
Where does the name Bruce come from?: Bruce is a boy name of Scottish origin.
Is Bruce a boy or a girl name?: Bruce is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Bruce are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Bruce in 2023?: Bruce ranks #542 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1956 with 14,693 babies.
How do you pronounce Bruce?: Bruce is pronounced BROOS (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Bruce?: Bruce is also written as Bruse.

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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.