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
Showing
- 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
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
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 | — | — | ||
First appearance
1897
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 2017
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- Nebraska#372 · 1 in 1,309
- California#503 · 1 in 2,576
- New Jersey#518 · 1 in 2,569
- Oklahoma#625 · 1 in 2,624
- Indiana#646 · 1 in 3,010
Best ever in a state: #1 in Wyoming, 1961.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | #372 | 6 | 1 in 1,309 |
| California | #503 | 76 | 1 in 2,576 |
| New Jersey | #518 | 14 | 1 in 2,569 |
| Oklahoma | #625 | 6 | 1 in 2,624 |
| Indiana | #646 | 10 | 1 in 3,010 |
| Florida | #683 | 23 | 1 in 3,737 |
| Texas | #754 | 40 | 1 in 3,997 |
| Virginia | #764 | 9 | 1 in 4,004 |
| New York | #766 | 21 | 1 in 4,190 |
| Maryland | #788 | 6 | 1 in 3,879 |
| North Carolina | #917 | 9 | 1 in 5,043 |
| Illinois | #1,154 | 8 | 1 in 6,943 |
| Pennsylvania | #1,416 | 5 | 1 in 10,228 |
| Georgia | #1,473 | 5 | 1 in 9,425 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| 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
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
- 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)
Rise & fade · girls
64 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1897
- Peaked 1961 at #11 (23,781 births)
- Births halved by 1967, 6 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 39 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 39 yrs · run 1939–1977
- Top 1,000: 90 yrs · run 1929–2017
Share of babies · girls
1 in 82
- 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
Era · girls
The 1950s
- 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 2017
girls
#910
294 births · 1 in 5,872 girls
Top girls' names in 2017
More about 2017
girls
1,726,461 girls got a published name in 2017; 1 in 5,872 of them was named Brenda, which outranked 95.1% of the 18,448 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Brenda
- #907Avalyn295
- #907Meilani295
- #907Taliyah295
- #910Brenda294
- #910Blaire294
- #910Luella294
- #913Alannah293
- #913Casey293
- #915Annalee292
Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Biggest movers since 2016
Risers
Fallers
- ↓ 263Julianne#919 → #1,182
- ↓ 243Milania#947 → #1,190
- ↓ 240Wendy#858 → #1,098
- ↓ 238Montserrat#808 → #1,046
- ↓ 224Nathaly#930 → #1,154
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.