Brendan is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Brendan means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Brendan across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Brendan has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Brendan is a boy name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “prince”. a seafaring saint of Irish legend.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 92,141 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 2,812 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 1,087 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 432 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 11,413 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 2,010 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Brendan per year, United States (1912 to 2025). United States peaked in 1999 (4,005/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1966 (440/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1997 (216/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2000 (44/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (41/yr).
Brendan has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1999, when it ranked #175 nationally (given to 4,333 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1990s.
Brandon · Brenden · Branden · Brenton · Brendon · Brandyn · Brandan · Brandin
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