Bryan
A spelling of Brian, a name of Irish and Breton origin whose root is unsettled; suggestions include Celtic words for hill and for noble. Brian Boru was a high king of Ireland.
Bryan in 2025
Bryan was given to 1,005 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 653rd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 3,299 babies born.
The history of Bryan
Bryan reached its highest point in 1985, when 8,788 babies were given the name, ranking 84th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 71st, in 1977.
Across the 143 years of records since 1883, 391,306 babies have been named Bryan. Half of them were born before 1985, which places the name's centre of gravity with Millennials.
Bryan by decade
| Decade | Babies named Bryan | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 11 | 1,565 |
| 1890s | 405 | 336 |
| 1900s | 197 | 727 |
| 1910s | 462 | 1,394 |
| 1920s | 1,162 | 1,080 |
| 1930s | 1,295 | 908 |
| 1940s | 3,976 | 546 |
| 1950s | 20,670 | 200 |
| 1960s | 55,512 | 107 |
| 1970s | 71,748 | 71 |
| 1980s | 81,081 | 84 |
| 1990s | 59,993 | 103 |
| 2000s | 62,117 | 101 |
| 2010s | 25,738 | 166 |
| 2020s | 6,939 | 485 |
Where Bryan is heading
Bryan has fallen 60% over the past decade, from 2,492 babies in 2015 to 1,005 in 2025.
Names like Bryan
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Bryan.