Total births
7,002
Unisex name · since 1972
Briar
Since 1972, U.S. Social Security records show 7,002 babies named Briar, peaking in 2025. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #522
- among girls today
- 7,002
- born since 1972
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Briar is the #522 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 7,002 recorded since 1972.
Briar has 7,002 recorded births among girls since 1972, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #522 as of the latest data, more common than 97% of girls, busiest in the 2020s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2025.
- #522 among girls today
- 7,002 born since 1972
- 2020s peak decade
- 97% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Briar is currently the #522 unisex name in America, more common than 97% of girls - 7,002 born since 1972, peaking in the 2020s.
- #522
- among girls today
- 7,002
- born since 1972
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other girls
Briar vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#522
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 97% of names given to girls today.
2020s
Peak decade
52% of everyone ever named Briar was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
778 babies were named Briar in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Briar compares
7,002 Top 11% higher than 89% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Briar's all-time total is 18x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Briar | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,002 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 778 | 48 | 19,840 |
Briar's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Briar splits its recorded history at 1999: 96% of all births land in the more recent half, 4% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1972 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2025 peak of 778 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Briar at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
2025
Current rank
#522
Active since
1972
Briar popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 778
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Briar popularity over time - boys
6,347 total births recorded since 1971 (Briar as boys' name)
Briar by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Briar's strongest decade.
3,612 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 52% of all-time use.
Briar births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 50
1970s
50 births
- 1980s 75
1980s
75 births
- 1990s 212
1990s
212 births
- 2000s 466
2000s
466 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,587 births
- 2020s
2020s
3,612 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 3,612 births (52% of all-time use).
How Briar compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Briar's total volume
Briar vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Briar by state
Where Briar concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 505 | 7.2% |
| #2 | California | | 359 | 5.1% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 236 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 232 | 3.3% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 231 | 3.3% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 230 | 3.3% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 217 | 3.1% |
| #8 | Iowa | | 209 | 3.0% |
Texas share of Briar's total US births 7.2%
Even split
505 of 7,002 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 45 reporting states.
Briar appears in 45 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Briar? ▼
Since 1972, Social Security records show 7,002 babies named Briar. Today it holds rank #522 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2025, with 778 births.
When was Briar most popular? ▼
Briar was most popular in the 2020s decade with 3,612 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Briar most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Briar are Texas (505 births), California (359 births), Ohio (236 births).
Is Briar a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Briar is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 7,002 births, and as a boy's name it has 6,347 births.
How long has the name Briar been used? ▼
Records for Briar go back to 1972, giving 54 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Briar? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Brittany, Brianna, Briana, Bridget, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Briar's data
- Texas records the most Briars (505 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Briar
Nearby Names Like Briar
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Briar
Brittany Girl
#791 360,673 births
Brianna Girl
#181 264,799 births
Briana Girl
#536 97,120 births
Bridget Girl
#706 92,367 births
Brittney Girl
#2987 82,203 births
Compare Briar side by side: Briar vs Brittany Briar vs Brianna Briar vs Briana
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Briar
Nellie #521
152,691 births · Peak 1918
Makenna #523
33,741 births · Peak 2005
Renata #520
14,610 births · Peak 1980
Danielle #524
371,803 births · Peak 1987
Madelynn #519
18,937 births · Peak 2009
Charli #525
11,692 births · Peak 2021
Maxine #518
115,612 births · Peak 1924
Imani #526
27,817 births · Peak 1998
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, 1972–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Briar: #522 Unisex Name - 7,002 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/briar. 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 Briar 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.