Total births
562
Unisex name · since 1956
Bren
Since 1956, U.S. Social Security records show 562 babies named Bren, peaking in 2003. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9136
- among boys today
- 562
- born since 1956
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 36%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Bren is the #9136 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 562 recorded since 1956.
Social Security Administration records show Bren recorded 562 times among boys since 1956, holding rank #9136 nationally today, ahead of 36% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1956 to 2025.
- #9136 among boys today
- 562 born since 1956
- 2000s peak decade
- 36% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Bren is currently the #9136 unisex name in America, more common than 36% of boys - 562 born since 1956, peaking in the 2000s.
- #9136
- among boys today
- 562
- born since 1956
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 36%
- more common than other boys
Bren vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9136
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 36% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Bren was born in this single decade.
2003
Single peak year
16 babies were named Bren in 2003 - its busiest year on record.
How Bren compares
562 Top 41% higher than 59% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Bren's all-time total is 53% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Bren | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 562 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 16 | 23 | 22,252 |
Bren's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Bren splits its recorded history at 1993: 54% of all births land in the more recent half, 46% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1956 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2003 peak of 16 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Bren at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2003
Current rank
#9,136
Active since
1956
Bren popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1956–2025
- Peak year (2003)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 70 years of records
Bren popularity over time - girls
174 total births recorded since 1980 (Bren as girls' name)
Bren by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Bren's strongest decade.
116 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Bren births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 22
1950s
22 births
- 1960s
1960s
53 births
- 1970s 46
1970s
46 births
- 1980s
1980s
103 births
- 1990s
1990s
81 births
- 2000s
2000s
116 births
- 2010s
2010s
93 births
- 2020s
2020s
48 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 116 births (21% of all-time use).
How Bren compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Bren's total volume
Bren vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Bren by state
Where Bren concentrates geographically, total births since 1956
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 7 | 1.2% |
California share of Bren's total US births 1.2%
7 of 562 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bren? ▼
562 babies have been named Bren since 1956. It currently ranks #9136 among boys. The peak year was 2003 with 16 births.
When was Bren most popular? ▼
Bren was most popular in the 2000s decade with 116 total births. The single peak year was 2003.
Where is Bren most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Bren are California (7 births).
Is Bren a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Bren is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 562 births, and as a girl's name it has 174 births.
How long has the name Bren been used? ▼
Bren has been recorded in Social Security data since 1956, spanning 70 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Bren? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Brett, Brent, Brendan, Brennan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Bren's data
- Bren's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (116 total births) through the 2020s (48) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Brens (7 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Bren
Nearby Names Like Bren
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bren
Brett Boy
#1059 159,109 births
Brent Boy
#1653 139,799 births
Brendan Boy
#1010 91,816 births
Brennan Boy
#1058 33,258 births
Bret Boy
#4734 29,819 births
Compare Bren side by side: Bren vs Brett Bren vs Brent Bren vs Brendan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Bren
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1956–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bren: #9136 Unisex Name - 562 Births, Peak 2003." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bren. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Bren draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.