Total births
29,819
Boys' name · since 1926
Bret
Since 1926, U.S. Social Security records show 29,819 babies named Bret, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4734
- among boys today
- 29,819
- born since 1926
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 67%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Bret is the #4734 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 29,819 recorded since 1926.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bret has been recorded 29,819 times among boys since 1926, currently ranked #4734 nationally and more common than 67% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1926 to 2025.
- #4734 among boys today
- 29,819 born since 1926
- 1960s peak decade
- 67% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Bret is currently the #4734 boys' name in America, more common than 67% of boys - 29,819 born since 1926, peaking in the 1960s.
- #4734
- among boys today
- 29,819
- born since 1926
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 67%
- more common than other boys
Bret vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4734
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 67% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Bret was born in this single decade.
1959
Single peak year
1,839 babies were named Bret in 1959 - its busiest year on record.
How Bret compares
29,819 Top 5% higher than 95% 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
Bret's all-time total is 81x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Bret | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 29,819 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,839 | 23 | 22,252 |
Bret's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Bret's SSA record in two at 1983 and the more recent half accounts for 33% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 67%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1926, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1959 peak of 1,839, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Bret at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1959
Current rank
#4,734
Active since
1926
Bret popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1926–2025
- Peak year (1959)
- 1,839
- Annual births at peak, across 100 years of records
Bret popularity over time - girls
232 total births recorded since 1968 (Bret as girls' name)
Bret by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Bret's strongest decade.
8,415 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Bret births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1940s 133
1940s
133 births
- 1950s
1950s
3,963 births
- 1960s
1960s
8,415 births
- 1970s
1970s
5,536 births
- 1980s
1980s
5,581 births
- 1990s
1990s
4,007 births
- 2000s 1,618
2000s
1,618 births
- 2010s 431
2010s
431 births
- 2020s 130
2020s
130 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 8,415 births (28% of all-time use).
How Bret 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 Bret's total volume
Bret vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Bret by state
Where Bret concentrates geographically, total births since 1926
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 3,880 | 13.0% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 1,825 | 6.1% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 1,545 | 5.2% |
| #4 | Texas | | 1,532 | 5.1% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 1,210 | 4.1% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 1,198 | 4.0% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 1,157 | 3.9% |
| #8 | New York | | 1,041 | 3.5% |
California share of Bret's total US births 13.0%
Even split
3,880 of 29,819 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 49 reporting states.
Bret appears in 49 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bret? ▼
29,819 babies have been named Bret since 1926. It currently ranks #4734 among boys. The peak year was 1959 with 1,839 births.
When was Bret most popular? ▼
Bret was most popular in the 1960s decade with 8,415 total births. The single peak year was 1959.
Where is Bret most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Bret are California (3,880 births), Ohio (1,825 births), Illinois (1,545 births).
How long has the name Bret been used? ▼
Bret has been recorded in Social Security data since 1926, spanning 100 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Bret? ▼
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 Bret's data
- Bret's decade-level peak was the 1960s (8,415 total births); usage has since declined to 130 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Brets (3,880 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 Bret
Nearby Names Like Bret
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bret
Brett Boy
#1059 159,109 births
Brent Boy
#1653 139,799 births
Brendan Boy
#1010 91,816 births
Brennan Boy
#1058 33,258 births
Brenden Boy
#2511 25,715 births
Compare Bret side by side: Bret vs Brett Bret vs Brent Bret vs Brendan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Bret
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, 1926–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bret: #4734 Boys' Name - 29,819 Births, Peak 1959." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bret. 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 Bret 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.