Total births
33,258
Unisex name · since 1916
Brennan
Since 1916, U.S. Social Security records show 33,258 babies named Brennan, peaking in 2009. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1058
- among boys today
- 33,258
- born since 1916
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
33,258 babies have been named Brennan since 1916, making it today's #1058 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Brennan has been recorded 33,258 times among boys since 1916, currently ranked #1058 nationally and more common than 93% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2025.
- #1058 among boys today
- 33,258 born since 1916
- 2000s peak decade
- 93% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Brennan is currently the #1058 unisex name in America, more common than 93% of boys - 33,258 born since 1916, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1058
- among boys today
- 33,258
- born since 1916
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
Brennan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1058
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 93% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Brennan was born in this single decade.
2009
Single peak year
1,464 babies were named Brennan in 2009 - its busiest year on record.
How Brennan compares
33,258 Top 4% higher than 96% 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
Brennan's all-time total is 91x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Brennan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 33,258 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,464 | 23 | 22,252 |
Brennan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Brennan's full recorded timeline at 1987, 92% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 8% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1916, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2009 peak of 1,464 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Brennan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2009
Current rank
#1,058
Active since
1916
Brennan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (2009)
- 1,464
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Brennan popularity over time - girls
2,229 total births recorded since 1973 (Brennan as girls' name)
Brennan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Brennan's strongest decade.
11,745 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Brennan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 5
1910s
5 births
- 1940s 6
1940s
6 births
- 1950s 80
1950s
80 births
- 1960s 394
1960s
394 births
- 1970s 934
1970s
934 births
- 1980s 2,719
1980s
2,719 births
- 1990s
1990s
8,300 births
- 2000s
2000s
11,745 births
- 2010s
2010s
7,625 births
- 2020s 1,450
2020s
1,450 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 11,745 births (35% of all-time use).
How Brennan 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 Brennan's total volume
Brennan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Brennan by state
Where Brennan concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 2,702 | 8.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 2,012 | 6.0% |
| #3 | Louisiana | | 1,906 | 5.7% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 1,731 | 5.2% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 1,551 | 4.7% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 1,456 | 4.4% |
| #7 | New York | | 1,348 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 1,314 | 4.0% |
California share of Brennan's total US births 8.1%
Even split
2,702 of 33,258 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 50 reporting states.
Brennan appears in 50 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Brennan? ▼
33,258 babies have been named Brennan since 1916. It currently ranks #1058 among boys. The peak year was 2009 with 1,464 births.
When was Brennan most popular? ▼
Brennan was most popular in the 2000s decade with 11,745 total births. The single peak year was 2009.
Where is Brennan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Brennan are California (2,702 births), Texas (2,012 births), Louisiana (1,906 births).
Is Brennan a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Brennan is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 33,258 births, and as a girl's name it has 2,229 births.
How long has the name Brennan been used? ▼
Brennan has been recorded in Social Security data since 1916, spanning 110 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Brennan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Brett, Brent, Brendan, Bret, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Brennan's data
- Brennan's decade-level peak was the 2000s (11,745 total births); usage has since declined to 1,450 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Brennans (2,702 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 Brennan
Nearby Names Like Brennan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Brennan
Brett Boy
#1059 159,109 births
Brent Boy
#1653 139,799 births
Brendan Boy
#1010 91,816 births
Bret Boy
#4734 29,819 births
Brenden Boy
#2511 25,715 births
Compare Brennan side by side: Brennan vs Brett Brennan vs Brent Brennan vs Brendan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Brennan
Howard #1057
346,666 births · Peak 1921
Brett #1059
159,109 births · Peak 1986
Mael #1056
1,353 births · Peak 2023
Caius #1060
2,329 births · Peak 2025
Hollis #1055
16,014 births · Peak 1921
Syncere #1061
3,134 births · Peak 2022
Yadiel #1054
4,226 births · Peak 2025
Oziel #1062
2,718 births · Peak 2025
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Brennan: #1058 Unisex Name - 33,258 Births, Peak 2009." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/brennan. 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 Brennan 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 June 2026.