The meaning of the name “Brian” is: “Strong One; noble; high”.
Additional information: The origin of the name Brian, also spelled at Bryan, is not entirely certain. Most people attribute it to the Irish or the Celts. From this origin the name would be derived from the word bre, meaning “high, noble, or hill”. Brian Boru (941-1014) or Brian Bóraimhe, is one of the most notable men to have held the name. He was an Irish king who unified the leaders of Ireland and liberated Ireland from the Viking invaders back in the 10th century , becoming one of the greatest national heroes of Ireland. Although he was killed during the battle, his name lived on and became a very common given name has his time. In the Middle Ages the name was introduced by Scandinavians from Ireland and by Bretons from Brittany when the Norman Conquest began.
The baby name Brian is of Celtic – Gaelic origin, derived from the root bri (force, strength), brîgh (valor, strength), or bruaich (a hill, steep, high).
Alternate spellings of the name Brian include Bryan, Bryon, Brien, and Brion. The name Byron is sometimes considered to be a variant on Brian. Feminine variations of this name include Brianna, Breanna, Breanne, Brianne, Bryanna, and Bryanne.
The popularity of the name Brian declined greatly between the mind 1900s and 2014, where it was ranked highest at 78th most popular in Portugal. Otherwise, in 2014, it was ranked as the 168th most popular boy’s name in the US, the 378th most popular in England and Wales, and the 351st most popular in Netherlands. The name peaked in popularity in the US during 1972-77 when it was ranked as the 8th most popular boy’s name. It was also the 8th most popular boy’s name in Canada in 1958.
Famous people who share in name Brian include RnB singer Brian McKnight; Brian Quinn, a comedian; Brian Johnson, a rock singer; Brian Dales, a pop singer; Brian Scalabrine, a basketball player; Brian Cox, an actor; Brian Krause, an actor; and Brian McCann, a baseball player.
The known 'Monty Python's The Life of Brian' is a comedy film about a man mistaken for the Messiah.
Pronunciation: (BRY an) Form of: Itself (Brian) Celebrity Names & Famous real-life people:
Brian May, Queen guitarist
Brian Dennehy, actor
Brian Cox, actor
Brian Littrell - Backstreet Boys
Brian De Palma, movie director
Brian Haner, American musician and comedian
Brian Wilson, American singer/songwriter, leader of the Beach Boys
Brian Dennehy, American Actor
Brian McFadden - Irish singer
Brian Haner, Jr. "Synyster Gates", lead guitarist of Avenged Sevenfold
Brian Logan Dales, singer for The Summer Set dreams of being a horse
Brian Johnson, Contemporary Worship Leader
Brian Orakpo, American football linebacker for the Washington Redskins
Brian Urlacher, Current NFL player
Brian McCann, MLB catcher for the Atlanta Braves
Brian Mulroney, former Prime Minister of Canada (1984-1993)
Brian Jordan, Retired NFL/MLB player
Brian Austin Green, American actor and rapper, best known for his portrayal of David Silver on the television series, Beverly Hills, 90210
Brian Schmidt, Australian Astronomer and Nobel laureate in Physics
Brian Kenny, ESPN sportscaster
Brian McKnight, Singer-Songwriter
Brian Regan, Stand-Up Comedian
Brian Banks, Retired MLB player
Brian "Lou" Cotton, guitarist for the band We Came As Romans.
Considering Brian as a Baby Name?
The first thing you should know if you are considering Brian for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Brian is a boy name.
The name Brian is of Celtic - Gaelic origin, and is used in more than one countries and different languages of the world, especially English speaking countries, Gaelic speaking countries among others.
If you consider naming your baby Brian we recommend you take note of the special meaning and history of the name as your baby’s name will play a big role in its life and your baby will hear it spoken every day. Searching for a name is a very important and fun process as it’s the very first gift you will give to your baby. Many people believe that the name can affect success in life, through their children's working career and other circumstances, so they choose more “respectable” names or name meanings as they believe that the name meaning reflects the personality of the child.
Brian Name Meaning
The meaning of Brian is “Strong One; noble; high”. Keep in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages, so be careful that the name that you choose doesn’t mean something bad or unpleasant. Search comprehensively and find the name meaning of Brian and its name origin or of any other name in our database. Also note the spelling and the pronunciation of the name Brian and check the initials of the name with your last name to discover how it looks and sounds. The history and meaning of the name Brian is fascinating, learn more about it. (If you know more meanings of the name and you would like to contribute click here to submit another name meaning).
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Name Brian Categories
The name Brian is in the following categories: Celebrity Names, Celtic Names, Gaelic Names, Heroic Names, Irish Names. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an influential factor when choosing a name. Instead, we recommend that you pay a greater attention to the origin and meaning of the name Brian. Read our baby name articles for useful tips regarding baby names and naming your baby. If you are thinking of giving your baby the beautiful name Brian, spread the love and share this with your friends.
Popularity of the Name Brian
Below you will find the popularity of the baby name Brian displayed annually, from 1880 to the present day in our name popularity chart. Hover over or click on the dots that represent a year to see how many babies were given the name for that year, for both genders, if available.
Brian Boy Name Popularity Chart
Brian Girl Name Popularity Chart
Note:The data above is from the Social Security Administrator of United States, (more info here) from Social Security card applications for births in US for every name, from 1880 up to the present year. The gender associated with the name might be incorrect, as the data presents the record applications without being edited for errors. The name's popularity and ranking is announced annually, so the data for this year will not be available until next year. The more babies that are given a name, the higher popularity ranking the name receives. For names with the same popularity, the tie is solved by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. This means that if two or more names have the same popularity their rankings may differ significantly, as they are set in alphabetical order. If a name has less than five occurrences, the SSA excludes it from the provided data to protect privacy.
If you’re not sure yet, see our wide selection of both boy names and girl names all over the world to find the ideal name for your new born baby. We offer a comprehensive and meaningful list of popular names and cool names along with the name's origin, meaning, pronunciation, popularity and additional information.
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Do your research and choose a name wisely, kindly and selflessly.
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