Bryan
Celtic, most often read as “high” or “noble,” from Old Irish bri.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Bryan first shows up in the national records in 1883. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 1959 to 2010. Its biggest year was 1985, when 8,717 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 48 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1977, at No. 42. In 2025 it ranked No. 336 for boys. All told, 391,306 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Brian (1,178,298), Brynn (30,211), Brianne (20,504), Bryon (14,737), Bryn (8,861), Brien (3,593) (total births since 1880)
Explore Bryan interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 11 | No. 799 |
| 1890s | 405 | No. 116 |
| 1900s | 197 | No. 277 |
| 1910s | 462 | No. 663 |
| 1920s | 1,162 | No. 497 |
| 1930s | 1,295 | No. 428 |
| 1940s | 3,976 | No. 249 |
| 1950s | 20,628 | No. 94 |
| 1960s | 55,304 | No. 51 |
| 1970s | 71,338 | No. 42 |
| 1980s | 80,502 | No. 47 |
| 1990s | 59,751 | No. 57 |
| 2000s | 61,930 | No. 64 |
| 2010s | 25,694 | No. 97 |
| 2020s | 6,934 | No. 259 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.