Brian
Last seen for girls in 2015 at #16,419 · #339 for boys in 2025, 979 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1972 · 36,306 births
- Debut · boys
- 5 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 63 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 1,173,735since 1909
Brian over time
Rank among boys' 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 | — | #339 | 979 | |
| 2024 | — | #302 | 1,116 | |
| 2023 | — | #317 | 1,049 | |
| 2022 | — | #289 | 1,180 | |
| 2021 | — | #288 | 1,188 | |
| 2020 | — | #271 | 1,261 | |
| 2019 | — | #247 | 1,479 | |
| 2018 | — | #235 | 1,631 | |
| 2017 | — | #216 | 1,778 | |
| 2016 | — | #204 | 1,984 | |
| 2015 | #16,419 | 5 | #188 | 2,218 |
| 2014 | — | #168 | 2,536 | |
| 2013 | #16,547 | 5 | #150 | 2,645 |
| 2012 | #9,711 | 11 | #141 | 2,820 |
| 2011 | #16,764 | 5 | #122 | 3,250 |
| 2010 | #12,276 | 8 | #101 | 3,766 |
| 2009 | #15,242 | 6 | #94 | 4,658 |
| 2008 | #11,599 | 9 | #87 | 5,263 |
| 2007 | #5,895 | 23 | #81 | 6,075 |
| 2006 | #12,420 | 8 | #72 | 6,511 |
| 2005 | #5,266 | 24 | #63 | 6,920 |
| 2004 | #3,490 | 42 | #59 | 7,333 |
| 2003 | #5,795 | 20 | #59 | 7,672 |
| 2002 | #5,897 | 19 | #51 | 8,082 |
| 2001 | #6,619 | 16 | #46 | 8,303 |
| 2000 | #4,079 | 30 | #43 | 8,958 |
| 1999 | #5,219 | 20 | #43 | 8,808 |
| 1998 | #4,366 | 25 | #41 | 9,146 |
| 1997 | #4,370 | 24 | #37 | 9,739 |
| 1996 | #3,723 | 29 | #36 | 10,476 |
| 1995 | #2,421 | 53 | #36 | 10,991 |
| 1994 | #3,168 | 36 | #37 | 11,648 |
| 1993 | #2,725 | 44 | #34 | 12,544 |
| 1992 | #2,830 | 42 | #31 | 14,107 |
| 1991 | #2,550 | 48 | #30 | 14,915 |
| 1990 | #2,402 | 51 | #27 | 16,935 |
| 1989 | #1,873 | 70 | #24 | 18,106 |
| 1988 | #1,196 | 126 | #22 | 19,532 |
| 1987 | #1,162 | 126 | #20 | 20,362 |
| 1986 | #1,057 | 142 | #20 | 21,027 |
| 1985 | #1,071 | 137 | #18 | 23,069 |
| 1984 | #979 | 147 | #17 | 24,720 |
| 1983 | #947 | 156 | #14 | 26,050 |
| 1982 | #1,005 | 147 | #14 | 25,829 |
| 1981 | #1,009 | 144 | #14 | 26,583 |
| 1980 | #884 | 173 | #12 | 28,715 |
| 1979 | #931 | 158 | #10 | 28,659 |
| 1978 | #858 | 171 | #9 | 29,432 |
| 1977 | #829 | 181 | #8 | 32,492 |
| 1976 | #870 | 155 | #8 | 30,517 |
| 1975 | #878 | 151 | #8 | 30,578 |
| 1974 | #912 | 138 | #8 | 34,449 |
| 1973 | #820 | 160 | #8 | 35,686 |
| 1972 | #796 | 171 | #8 | 36,306 |
| 1971 | #886 | 150 | #9 | 32,624 |
| 1970 | #891 | 148 | #8 | 31,917 |
| 1969 | #932 | 130 | #9 | 31,669 |
| 1968 | #1,013 | 105 | #10 | 29,922 |
| 1967 | #1,002 | 104 | #10 | 28,646 |
| 1966 | #1,119 | 89 | #14 | 27,253 |
| 1965 | #1,274 | 71 | #19 | 24,552 |
| 1964 | #1,419 | 63 | #20 | 24,167 |
| 1963 | #1,508 | 55 | #20 | 24,133 |
| 1962 | #1,429 | 60 | #20 | 23,221 |
| 1961 | #1,807 | 40 | #20 | 22,566 |
| 1960 | #1,542 | 52 | #20 | 22,000 |
| 1959 | #1,765 | 39 | #22 | 20,737 |
| 1958 | #1,762 | 38 | #24 | 19,279 |
| 1957 | #2,168 | 26 | #26 | 17,519 |
| 1956 | #2,622 | 19 | #32 | 14,666 |
| 1955 | #2,280 | 23 | #40 | 10,109 |
| 1954 | #3,325 | 12 | #48 | 8,078 |
| 1953 | #3,687 | 10 | #53 | 6,665 |
| 1952 | #3,040 | 13 | #64 | 5,741 |
| 1951 | #4,011 | 8 | #75 | 5,101 |
| 1950 | #5,301 | 5 | #79 | 4,441 |
| 1949 | #4,673 | 6 | #86 | 3,854 |
| 1948 | #4,651 | 6 | #95 | 3,358 |
| 1947 | #3,061 | 12 | #95 | 3,450 |
| 1946 | #3,665 | 8 | #103 | 2,585 |
| 1945 | #4,556 | 5 | #113 | 1,989 |
| 1944 | — | #116 | 1,954 | |
| 1943 | #3,040 | 10 | #120 | 1,950 |
| 1942 | — | #139 | 1,523 | |
| 1941 | — | #153 | 1,123 | |
| 1940 | — | #163 | 1,007 | |
| 1939 | — | #176 | 808 | |
| 1938 | — | #204 | 609 | |
| 1937 | — | #228 | 519 | |
| 1936 | — | #289 | 344 | |
| 1935 | — | #347 | 254 | |
| 1934 | — | #402 | 187 | |
| 1933 | — | #450 | 150 | |
| 1932 | — | #538 | 119 | |
| 1931 | — | #616 | 93 | |
| 1930 | — | #645 | 90 | |
| 1929 | — | #557 | 112 | |
| 1928 | — | #603 | 104 | |
| 1927 | — | #754 | 75 | |
| 1926 | — | #1,010 | 47 | |
| 1925 | — | #871 | 59 | |
| 1924 | — | #1,169 | 38 | |
| 1923 | — | #1,213 | 35 | |
| 1922 | — | #1,308 | 31 | |
| 1921 | — | #1,252 | 34 | |
| 1920 | — | #1,300 | 31 | |
| 1919 | — | #2,152 | 14 | |
| 1918 | — | #2,398 | 12 | |
| 1917 | — | #2,091 | 14 | |
| 1916 | — | #1,771 | 17 | |
| 1915 | — | #1,505 | 21 | |
| 1914 | — | #1,975 | 11 | |
| 1913 | — | #1,441 | 14 | |
| 1912 | — | #2,269 | 6 | |
| 1911 | — | #1,387 | 7 | |
| 1910 | — | — | ||
| 1909 | — | #1,440 | 5 | |
| 1908 | — | — | ||
| 1907 | — | — | ||
| 1906 | — | — | ||
| 1905 | — | — | ||
| 1904 | — | — | ||
| 1903 | — | — | ||
| 1902 | — | — | ||
| 1901 | — | — | ||
| 1900 | — | — | ||
| 1899 | — | — | ||
| 1898 | — | — | ||
| 1897 | — | — | ||
| 1896 | — | — | ||
| 1895 | — | — | ||
| 1894 | — | — | ||
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | — | ||
| 1891 | — | — | ||
| 1890 | — | — | ||
| 1889 | — | — | ||
| 1888 | — | — | ||
| 1887 | — | — | ||
| 1886 | — | — | ||
| 1885 | — | — | ||
| 1884 | — | — | ||
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five boys were named Brian! It came in at #1,440, and was given to 5 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1909–1910, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.
Where Brian is popular in 1987
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- New Jersey#12 · 1 in 54
- District of Columbia#14 · 1 in 70
- Massachusetts#15 · 1 in 57
- New York#15 · 1 in 71
- Illinois#15 · 1 in 72
Best ever in a state: #2 in Pennsylvania, 1973.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | #12 | 932 | 1 in 54 |
| District of Columbia | #14 | 115 | 1 in 70 |
| Illinois | #15 | 1,141 | 1 in 72 |
| Massachusetts | #15 | 712 | 1 in 57 |
| New York | #15 | 1,759 | 1 in 71 |
| Pennsylvania | #16 | 1,158 | 1 in 67 |
| Maryland | #17 | 457 | 1 in 64 |
| Rhode Island | #17 | 102 | 1 in 61 |
| Connecticut | #18 | 327 | 1 in 65 |
| Maine | #18 | 106 | 1 in 67 |
| Virginia | #18 | 511 | 1 in 77 |
| Wyoming | #18 | 45 | 1 in 58 |
| Delaware | #19 | 63 | 1 in 65 |
| Nebraska | #19 | 158 | 1 in 68 |
| New Hampshire | #19 | 115 | 1 in 66 |
| Ohio | #19 | 1,087 | 1 in 70 |
| Florida | #20 | 913 | 1 in 87 |
| Michigan | #20 | 826 | 1 in 78 |
| Oregon | #20 | 219 | 1 in 81 |
| California | #21 | 2,414 | 1 in 99 |
| Georgia | #21 | 460 | 1 in 99 |
| Iowa | #22 | 222 | 1 in 80 |
| Minnesota | #22 | 394 | 1 in 77 |
| Wisconsin | #22 | 396 | 1 in 82 |
| Colorado | #23 | 265 | 1 in 93 |
| Missouri | #23 | 431 | 1 in 83 |
| Nevada | #23 | 77 | 1 in 88 |
| North Carolina | #23 | 425 | 1 in 98 |
| Washington | #23 | 351 | 1 in 90 |
| Arizona | #24 | 264 | 1 in 108 |
| Kentucky | #24 | 265 | 1 in 90 |
| Hawaii | #25 | 70 | 1 in 96 |
| Mississippi | #25 | 137 | 1 in 119 |
| West Virginia | #26 | 113 | 1 in 94 |
| Idaho | #27 | 70 | 1 in 94 |
| Kansas | #27 | 172 | 1 in 96 |
| Texas | #27 | 1,047 | 1 in 137 |
| Alabama | #28 | 212 | 1 in 119 |
| Alaska | #28 | 48 | 1 in 93 |
| Louisiana | #29 | 263 | 1 in 122 |
| Tennessee | #29 | 286 | 1 in 113 |
| Vermont | #29 | 39 | 1 in 85 |
| Arkansas | #30 | 137 | 1 in 109 |
| Indiana | #30 | 374 | 1 in 99 |
| South Carolina | #30 | 156 | 1 in 137 |
| New Mexico | #31 | 88 | 1 in 129 |
| Oklahoma | #31 | 180 | 1 in 115 |
| North Dakota | #33 | 47 | 1 in 107 |
| Montana | #34 | 45 | 1 in 110 |
| South Dakota | #35 | 44 | 1 in 108 |
| Utah | #37 | 124 | 1 in 128 |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys 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 Brian
- 37 spots since 2024 (#302 → #339)
- 68 spots since 2020 (#271 → #339)
- 151 spots since 2015 (#188 → #339)
- Biggest jump: 298 spots in 1925 (#1,169 → #871)
- Biggest drop: 139 spots in 1926 (#871 → #1,010)
- Debuted 1909
- Peaked 1972 at #8 (36,306 births)
- Births halved by 1989, 17 yrs later
- Top 10: 13 yrs · run 1967–1979
- Top 100: 63 yrs · run 1947–2009
- Top 1,000: 100 yrs · run 1927–2025
- Highest: 1 in 44 boys born in 1973 were named Brian (2.3%)
- Latest: 1 in 1,745 boys born in 2025 (0.06%)
- Its best rank, #8 in 1972, was only 1 in 45 (2.2%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 27.5% of all boys named Brian (322,660) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 | #1,440 (1909) | #1,440 |
| 1910s | 116 | #1,387 (1911) | #1,888 |
| 1920s | 566 | #557 (1929) | #1,004 |
| 1930s | 3,173 | #176 (1939) | #390 |
| 1940s | 22,793 | #86 (1949) | #118 |
| 1950s | 112,336 | #22 (1959) | #46 |
| 1960s | 258,129 | #9 (1969) | #16 |
| 1970s | 322,660 | #8 (1972) | #8 |
| 1980s | 233,993 | #12 (1980) | #18 |
| 1990s | 119,309 | #27 (1990) | #35 |
| 2000s | 69,775 | #43 (2000) | #66 |
| 2010s | 24,107 | #101 (2010) | #177 |
| 2020s | 6,773 | #271 (2020) | #301 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Brian in 1987
Top girls' names in 1987
Top boys' names in 1987
More about 1987
girls
1,738,632 girls got a published name in 1987; 1 in 13,799 of them was named Brian, which outranked 91.2% of the 13,263 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #1,156Kiana127
- #1,156Lynnette127
- #1,156Mellisa127
- #1,162Brian126
- #1,162Chante126
- #1,162Cherise126
- #1,162Dulce126
- #1,172Deandra125
- #1,172Deena125
- #1,172Joana125
Tied with 9 names at #1,162; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,866,984 boys got a published name in 1987; 1 in 92 of them was named Brian, which outranked 99.8% of the 8,152 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.