Brenda
#1,525 for girls in 2025, 139 births · Last seen for boys in 2007 at #12,367
Given to girls 99.7% of the time
- Peak · girls
- 1961 · 23,781 births
- Debut · girls
- 7 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 39 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 608,478since 1897
Brenda over time
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #1,525 | 139 | — | |
| 2024 | #1,140 | 212 | — | |
| 2023 | #1,292 | 177 | — | |
| 2022 | #1,269 | 189 | — | |
| 2021 | #1,207 | 198 | — | |
| 2020 | #1,261 | 180 | — | |
| 2019 | #1,069 | 236 | — | |
| 2018 | #1,007 | 258 | — | |
| 2017 | #910 | 294 | — | |
| 2016 | #840 | 340 | — | |
| 2015 | #805 | 349 | — | |
| 2014 | #729 | 384 | — | |
| 2013 | #643 | 439 | — | |
| 2012 | #538 | 561 | — | |
| 2011 | #532 | 546 | — | |
| 2010 | #426 | 735 | — | |
| 2009 | #406 | 780 | — | |
| 2008 | #343 | 968 | — | |
| 2007 | #280 | 1,232 | #12,367 | 5 |
| 2006 | #240 | 1,419 | — | |
| 2005 | #209 | 1,661 | #9,115 | 7 |
| 2004 | #201 | 1,660 | #6,520 | 11 |
| 2003 | #228 | 1,443 | #8,643 | 7 |
| 2002 | #213 | 1,550 | #9,392 | 6 |
| 2001 | #189 | 1,737 | #10,556 | 5 |
| 2000 | #172 | 1,898 | — | |
| 1999 | #160 | 1,979 | — | |
| 1998 | #149 | 2,133 | #6,314 | 9 |
| 1997 | #148 | 2,159 | #5,288 | 11 |
| 1996 | #131 | 2,414 | #5,187 | 11 |
| 1995 | #119 | 2,610 | #2,556 | 29 |
| 1994 | #121 | 2,655 | #2,618 | 28 |
| 1993 | #114 | 2,885 | #2,209 | 35 |
| 1992 | #119 | 2,827 | #2,532 | 28 |
| 1991 | #120 | 2,634 | #1,798 | 44 |
| 1990 | #123 | 2,633 | #2,214 | 32 |
| 1989 | #132 | 2,272 | #1,733 | 44 |
| 1988 | #123 | 2,285 | #1,671 | 42 |
| 1987 | #129 | 2,150 | #1,534 | 46 |
| 1986 | #124 | 2,241 | #1,403 | 50 |
| 1985 | #122 | 2,385 | #1,698 | 36 |
| 1984 | #112 | 2,497 | #1,796 | 31 |
| 1983 | #120 | 2,431 | #1,822 | 30 |
| 1982 | #118 | 2,517 | #2,111 | 25 |
| 1981 | #112 | 2,721 | #1,865 | 30 |
| 1980 | #115 | 2,648 | #2,162 | 24 |
| 1979 | #112 | 2,769 | #2,236 | 22 |
| 1978 | #103 | 2,873 | #2,929 | 14 |
| 1977 | #91 | 3,151 | #2,556 | 17 |
| 1976 | #77 | 3,587 | #2,508 | 17 |
| 1975 | #67 | 4,236 | #1,884 | 25 |
| 1974 | #59 | 4,830 | #2,358 | 17 |
| 1973 | #53 | 5,379 | #1,982 | 21 |
| 1972 | #44 | 6,270 | #1,721 | 26 |
| 1971 | #43 | 7,160 | #1,705 | 27 |
| 1970 | #40 | 8,336 | #1,989 | 20 |
| 1969 | #38 | 8,989 | #1,351 | 35 |
| 1968 | #34 | 9,945 | #1,183 | 41 |
| 1967 | #31 | 11,479 | #1,215 | 38 |
| 1966 | #25 | 13,294 | #1,149 | 42 |
| 1965 | #23 | 15,060 | #986 | 56 |
| 1964 | #18 | 17,106 | #1,126 | 46 |
| 1963 | #15 | 19,611 | #1,037 | 53 |
| 1962 | #12 | 21,274 | #939 | 65 |
| 1961 | #11 | 23,781 | #901 | 72 |
| 1960 | #13 | 23,963 | #951 | 63 |
| 1959 | #16 | 21,424 | #1,061 | 53 |
| 1958 | #16 | 21,337 | #1,148 | 45 |
| 1957 | #13 | 24,339 | #1,015 | 56 |
| 1956 | #19 | 19,341 | #1,257 | 37 |
| 1955 | #18 | 19,114 | #1,181 | 40 |
| 1954 | #18 | 19,609 | #1,200 | 39 |
| 1953 | #18 | 20,122 | #1,033 | 49 |
| 1952 | #15 | 21,439 | #1,094 | 44 |
| 1951 | #14 | 21,717 | #1,083 | 44 |
| 1950 | #14 | 20,799 | #1,105 | 41 |
| 1949 | #13 | 20,543 | #1,072 | 43 |
| 1948 | #17 | 17,700 | #1,145 | 39 |
| 1947 | #21 | 15,830 | #1,190 | 37 |
| 1946 | #24 | 12,690 | #1,196 | 34 |
| 1945 | #29 | 9,203 | #1,270 | 27 |
| 1944 | #30 | 8,999 | #1,255 | 28 |
| 1943 | #35 | 8,435 | #1,486 | 22 |
| 1942 | #40 | 7,241 | #1,316 | 28 |
| 1941 | #41 | 6,332 | #1,169 | 32 |
| 1940 | #42 | 5,442 | #1,573 | 19 |
| 1939 | #86 | 2,756 | #1,532 | 19 |
| 1938 | #244 | 676 | — | |
| 1937 | #423 | 233 | — | |
| 1936 | #511 | 163 | — | |
| 1935 | #556 | 132 | — | |
| 1934 | #652 | 106 | — | |
| 1933 | #683 | 90 | — | |
| 1932 | #694 | 95 | — | |
| 1931 | #844 | 66 | — | |
| 1930 | #916 | 63 | — | |
| 1929 | #922 | 60 | — | |
| 1928 | #1,015 | 54 | — | |
| 1927 | #1,108 | 47 | — | |
| 1926 | #1,004 | 55 | — | |
| 1925 | #976 | 58 | — | |
| 1924 | #1,188 | 44 | — | |
| 1923 | #1,174 | 43 | — | |
| 1922 | #1,160 | 44 | — | |
| 1921 | #1,437 | 32 | — | |
| 1920 | #1,407 | 32 | — | |
| 1919 | #1,423 | 30 | — | |
| 1918 | #1,497 | 28 | — | |
| 1917 | #1,923 | 18 | — | |
| 1916 | #1,581 | 23 | — | |
| 1915 | #1,672 | 20 | — | |
| 1914 | #1,740 | 15 | — | |
| 1913 | #1,766 | 12 | — | |
| 1912 | #1,297 | 17 | — | |
| 1911 | #1,656 | 9 | — | |
| 1910 | #1,773 | 8 | — | |
| 1909 | — | — | ||
| 1908 | #1,676 | 7 | — | |
| 1907 | — | — | ||
| 1906 | — | — | ||
| 1905 | #1,420 | 8 | — | |
| 1904 | #1,659 | 6 | — | |
| 1903 | #1,792 | 5 | — | |
| 1902 | — | — | ||
| 1901 | #1,466 | 6 | — | |
| 1900 | — | — | ||
| 1899 | — | — | ||
| 1898 | — | — | ||
| 1897 | #1,263 | 7 | — | |
| 1896 | — | — | ||
| 1895 | — | — | ||
| 1894 | — | — | ||
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | — | ||
| 1891 | — | — | ||
| 1890 | — | — | ||
| 1889 | — | — | ||
| 1888 | — | — | ||
| 1887 | — | — | ||
| 1886 | — | — | ||
| 1885 | — | — | ||
| 1884 | — | — | ||
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five girls were named Brenda! It came in at #1,263, and was given to 7 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1898–1900, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.
Where Brenda is popular in 1946
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- North Carolina#3 · 1 in 30
- Tennessee#5 · 1 in 33
- Kentucky#6 · 1 in 36
- Georgia#6 · 1 in 41
- Virginia#6 · 1 in 44
Best ever in a state: #1 in Wyoming, 1961.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | #3 | 1,538 | 1 in 30 |
| Tennessee | #5 | 1,080 | 1 in 33 |
| Georgia | #6 | 974 | 1 in 41 |
| Kentucky | #6 | 897 | 1 in 36 |
| South Carolina | #6 | 524 | 1 in 49 |
| Virginia | #6 | 741 | 1 in 44 |
| Alabama | #8 | 671 | 1 in 53 |
| West Virginia | #8 | 507 | 1 in 43 |
| Arkansas | #9 | 376 | 1 in 56 |
| Louisiana | #12 | 416 | 1 in 73 |
| Mississippi | #12 | 309 | 1 in 86 |
| Maine | #14 | 103 | 1 in 82 |
| Texas | #20 | 690 | 1 in 120 |
| Florida | #23 | 206 | 1 in 118 |
| District of Columbia | #24 | 96 | 1 in 111 |
| New Hampshire | #24 | 47 | 1 in 97 |
| Missouri | #25 | 326 | 1 in 113 |
| Oklahoma | #25 | 177 | 1 in 123 |
| Maryland | #26 | 178 | 1 in 118 |
| Indiana | #30 | 313 | 1 in 120 |
| Vermont | #34 | 25 | 1 in 125 |
| Delaware | #37 | 21 | 1 in 130 |
| Arizona | #48 | 34 | 1 in 212 |
| Ohio | #48 | 359 | 1 in 214 |
| Illinois | #52 | 311 | 1 in 251 |
| Kansas | #60 | 65 | 1 in 255 |
| Idaho | #65 | 18 | 1 in 285 |
| Michigan | #67 | 216 | 1 in 287 |
| Massachusetts | #73 | 148 | 1 in 301 |
| New Jersey | #73 | 138 | 1 in 300 |
| California | #77 | 283 | 1 in 351 |
| Pennsylvania | #77 | 312 | 1 in 318 |
| Hawaii | #81 | 17 | 1 in 281 |
| Rhode Island | #89 | 19 | 1 in 370 |
| New York | #96 | 313 | 1 in 423 |
| Utah | #98 | 18 | 1 in 404 |
| New Mexico | #102 | 21 | 1 in 348 |
| Connecticut | #110 | 30 | 1 in 587 |
| Iowa | #138 | 31 | 1 in 789 |
| Washington | #138 | 32 | 1 in 699 |
| Oregon | #143 | 18 | 1 in 709 |
| Nebraska | #145 | 12 | 1 in 969 |
| Minnesota | #161 | 26 | 1 in 1,140 |
| South Dakota | #179 | 5 | 1 in 1,133 |
| Wisconsin | #190 | 20 | 1 in 1,640 |
| North Dakota | #197 | 5 | 1 in 1,232 |
| Colorado | #204 | 11 | 1 in 1,156 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Brenda
- 385 spots since 2024 (#1,140 → #1,525)
- 264 spots since 2020 (#1,261 → #1,525)
- 720 spots since 2015 (#805 → #1,525)
- Biggest jump: 212 spots in 1925 (#1,188 → #976)
- Biggest drop: 106 spots in 2011 (#426 → #532)
- Debuted 1897
- Peaked 1961 at #11 (23,781 births)
- Births halved by 1967, 6 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 39 yrs · run 1939–1977
- Top 1,000: 90 yrs · run 1929–2017
- Highest: 1 in 82 girls born in 1950 were named Brenda (1.2%)
- Latest: 1 in 11,563 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
- Its best rank, #11 in 1961, was only 1 in 85 (1.2%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 34.4% of all girls named Brenda (209,241) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 7 | #1,263 (1897) | #1,263 |
| 1900s | 32 | #1,420 (1905) | #1,603 |
| 1910s | 180 | #1,297 (1912) | #1,633 |
| 1920s | 469 | #922 (1929) | #1,139 |
| 1930s | 4,380 | #86 (1939) | #561 |
| 1940s | 112,415 | #13 (1949) | #29 |
| 1950s | 209,241 | #13 (1957) | #16 |
| 1960s | 164,502 | #11 (1961) | #22 |
| 1970s | 48,591 | #40 (1970) | #69 |
| 1980s | 24,147 | #112 (1981) | #121 |
| 1990s | 24,929 | #114 (1993) | #130 |
| 2000s | 14,348 | #172 (2000) | #248 |
| 2010s | 4,142 | #426 (2010) | #750 |
| 2020s | 1,095 | #1,140 (2024) | #1,282 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Brenda in 1946
Top girls' names in 1946
Top boys' names in 1946
More about 1946
girls
1,571,305 girls got a published name in 1946; 1 in 124 of them was named Brenda, which outranked 99.6% of the 5,686 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,624,023 boys got a published name in 1946; 1 in 47,765 of them was named Brenda, which outranked 70.2% of the 4,018 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.9% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #1,176Rosario35
- #1,176Teodoro35
- #1,176Tillman35
- #1,196Brenda34
- #1,196Ardell34
- #1,196Chet34
- #1,196Claudie34
- #1,217Arne33
- #1,217Carlyle33
- #1,217Darl33
Tied with 20 names at #1,196; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.