What Does The Name Brendan Mean?

Home » What Does The Name Brendan Mean » What Does The Name Brendan Mean?

Maybe your like

Names.org Advanced Search
  • popular
  • this year
  • by origin
  • all lists
Toggle navigation
  • Advanced Name Search
  • Names by Origin
  • All Time Most Popular Names
  • Popular Names This Year
  • Last Names
  • Names by First Letter
  • Unique Names
  • Modern
  • All Name Lists
  • For the Name Brendan
  • Related Names
  • Meanings and Origins
  • Popularity by Year and Gender
  • Pronunciation
  • Notable Persons Named Brendan
  • Notable Persons With the Last Name Brendan
  • Regional Popularity
  • Fun Facts
  • What Brendans Have Visited This Page?
  • Name Poster
Keep scrolling for more Brendan
  • Origin: Irish
  • Meaning of Brendan
  • Gender: Boy
First Name 92k in the U.S.since 1880 Last Name <100 in the U.S.in 2010 Girls Boys On This Page
  • Add what Brendan means to you
  1. Related Names
  2. Meanings and Origins
  3. Popularity by Year and Gender
  4. Pronunciation
  5. Notable Persons Named Brendan
  6. Notable Persons With the Last Name Brendan
  7. Regional Popularity
  8. Fun Facts
  9. What Brendans Have Visited This Page?
  10. Name Poster
  • 20k Brendon
  • 26k Brenden
  • 772k Brandon (More Popular)
  • <100 Brend
  • <100 Bredan
  • 4.4m Michael
  • 5.2m John
  • 983k Ryan
  • 35k Brennan
  • 610k Brenda
  • 5.3m James
  • 6k Brandan
  • Irish Names
  • Gaelic Names
  • Celtic Names

Meaning and Origin of Brendan

What does the name Brendan mean? Keep reading to find the user submitted meanings, dictionary definitions, and more.

User Submissions

User Submitted Origins

Irish70%English7%Welsh3%Nigerian3%African3%Filipino (Philippines)3%Greek3%Zimbabwe3%Kurdish3%

User Submitted Meanings

  1. A submission from Australia says the name Brendan means "Prince, sword, or raven" and is of Irish origin.
  2. A user from Pennsylvania, U.S. says the name Brendan means "Prince, Navigator".
  3. A submission from South Africa says the name Brendan means "Prince or king" and is of Zimbabwe origin.
  4. 11 submissions from all over the world agree the name Brendan means "Prince" and is of Irish origin.
  5. According to a user from Iowa, U.S., the name Brendan is of Irish origin and means "Irish Prince".
  6. According to a user from Connecticut, U.S., the name Brendan is of Irish origin and means "The dweller on the Hill or the Prince".
  7. A user from California, U.S. says the name Brendan is of Irish origin and means "Raven, Navigator".
  8. A submission from Washington, U.S. says the name Brendan means "Little Raven" and is of Irish origin.
  9. A user from Rhode Island, U.S. says the name Brendan is of Irish origin and means "Son of king".
  10. According to a user from Nigeria, the name Brendan is of Nigerian origin and means "Living by beacon".
Search for more names by meaning. International Interest Also see international interest OpenAI's ChatGPT Brendan is an Anglicized given name of Irish origin, most commonly traced to the Old Irish Brénainn or Bréanainn, itself from the Latinized Brendanus and ultimately from the Welsh or Old Irish adoption of a Brittonic form related to “prince” or “chieftain” (often compared to Welsh brenin, “king”). The name’s spread and enduring popularity owe much to early medieval saints, especially St. Brendan the Navigator (Bréanainn of Clonfert), whose legendary Atlantic voyage made the name emblematic of exploration and spiritual quest. In Irish contexts, Bréanainn/Bréanán gave rise to Anglicized Brendan and, in parallel, to the related but distinct Old Irish name Bréanán that became Brandon in English; the two have often been conflated in modern usage. Variations across languages reflect both direct borrowing and local phonology: English Brendan; Irish Bréanainn; Scottish Gaelic Breandán; Latin Brendanus/Brandanus; French Brendan or Brendane (rare); Spanish and Portuguese usually Brendan, with occasional Brendán in Spanish; Italian Brendan; German Brendan; and Slavic languages typically adopt Brendan transliterated as Брендан (Russian, Serbian). Diminutives and nicknames include Bren, Brend, Denny (less common), and occasionally Dan; feminine or variant forms like Brendán (accented in Spanish usage), Brendine/Brenda are related by sound rather than strict etymology. Despite overlaps with Brandon, Brennan, and even Breton, Brendan’s core Irish ecclesiastical heritage remains its defining origin. Anthropic's Claude AI The name Brendan derives from the Old Irish "Brénainn," which is believed to stem from the Welsh element "brenhin" meaning "prince" or "king," though some scholars alternatively suggest a connection to the Irish word "braon" meaning "drop" or "moisture." This ancient Celtic name gained widespread recognition through Saint Brendan the Navigator (c. 484-577 CE), the legendary Irish monk whose purported Atlantic voyages in search of the "Land of Promise" captured medieval imagination. The saint's fame helped establish the name throughout Ireland and later across the broader Celtic world, where it evolved into various forms including the Scottish Gaelic "Breandan," Welsh "Brendon," and the Manx "Brendane." As Irish emigrants spread across the globe, particularly during the 19th and 20th centuries, Brendan and its variants took root in numerous linguistic traditions. The name appears as "Brendano" in Italian, "Brendón" in Spanish-speaking regions, and has been adapted into "Brandon" in English-speaking countries, though this latter form has largely diverged to become a distinct name in its own right. Common nicknames include Bren, Brenny, and occasionally Dan, while the diminutive "Brendy" appears in some family contexts. The name experienced a notable revival in Ireland during the 20th century's cultural renaissance and has maintained steady popularity in diaspora communities, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Australia, where it represents both heritage connection and the enduring appeal of its meaning associated with leadership and nobility. Wiktionary

Anglicized form of the name of Irish saints, Irish Bréanainn (via Latin Brendanus), from Old Irish Brénainn, from Old Welsh breenhin (“prince, king”), ultimately from Proto-Celtic *brigantīnos (“(someone) pre-eminent, outstanding”).

  1. A male given name from Irish.

Brendan was also found in the following language(s): Faroese

Back to Top

How popular is the baby name Brendan in the U.S.?

Click Here to Show Chart Data
Year Total Babies Born Girls Born Boys Born Ranking
1912 9 0 9
1913 8 0 8
1914 13 0 13
1915 7 0 7
1916 10 0 10
1917 12 0 12
1918 10 0 10
1919 16 0 16
1920 12 0 12
1921 9 0 9
1922 15 0 15
1923 21 0 21
1924 17 0 17
1925 20 0 20
1926 19 0 19
1927 18 0 18
1928 18 0 18
1929 17 0 17
1930 21 0 21
1931 11 0 11
1932 25 0 25
1933 24 0 24
1934 33 0 33
1935 34 0 34
1936 40 0 40
1937 36 0 36
1938 33 0 33
1939 32 0 32
1940 32 0 32
1941 43 0 43
1942 37 0 37
1943 55 0 55
1944 39 0 39
1945 48 0 48
1946 49 0 49
1947 39 0 39
1948 51 0 51
1949 51 0 51
1950 61 0 61
1951 54 0 54
1952 66 0 66
1953 78 0 78
1954 68 0 68
1955 98 0 98
1956 114 0 114
1957 144 0 144
1958 123 0 123
1959 178 0 178
1960 217 0 217
1961 241 0 241
1962 240 0 240
1963 245 0 245
1964 288 0 288
1965 307 0 307
1966 489 0 489
1967 444 0 444
1968 501 5 496
1969 470 0 470
1970 567 0 567
1971 543 0 543
1972 503 0 503
1973 552 0 552
1974 642 11 631
1975 660 6 654
1976 826 0 826
1977 778 10 768
1978 902 7 895
1979 996 5 991
1980 1,113 11 1,102
1981 1,158 0 1,158
1982 1,206 8 1,198
1983 1,283 7 1,276
1984 1,346 14 1,332
1985 1,395 11 1,384
1986 1,417 16 1,401
1987 1,824 17 1,807
1988 1,809 13 1,796
1989 2,159 13 2,146
1990 2,005 9 1,996
1991 2,188 0 2,188
1992 2,309 12 2,297
1993 2,321 19 2,302
1994 2,740 10 2,730
1995 2,702 11 2,691
1996 2,828 16 2,812
1997 3,634 12 3,622
1998 3,888 10 3,878 #99 boy name
1999 4,004 10 3,994 #96 boy name
2000 3,667 10 3,657
2001 3,350 5 3,345
2002 3,151 10 3,141
2003 2,872 5 2,867
2004 2,736 17 2,719
2005 2,367 7 2,360
2006 2,170 0 2,170
2007 1,927 0 1,927
2008 1,895 8 1,887
2009 1,762 0 1,762
2010 1,527 0 1,527
2011 1,315 0 1,315
2012 1,149 0 1,149
2013 1,009 0 1,009
2014 922 0 922
2015 824 0 824
2016 688 0 688
2017 560 0 560
2018 490 0 490
2019 422 0 422
2020 343 0 343
2021 327 0 327
2022 269 0 269
2023 261 0 261
* Years where the name was given to 5 or fewer babies will show zero to respect privacy. Back to Top

How to Pronounce Brendan

Brendan Pronunciations

Play Accuracy Source
Play 97% Automated Male (English)
Is this an accurate pronunciation?
Play 93% Automated Female (English)
Is this an accurate pronunciation?
Play 89% User from Texas, U.S.
Is this an accurate pronunciation?
Play 82% User from United Kingdom
Is this an accurate pronunciation?
Play 81% User from Canada
Is this an accurate pronunciation?
Play 81% User from Maine, U.S.
Is this an accurate pronunciation?
Play 80% User from California, U.S.
Is this an accurate pronunciation?
How difficult is it to pronounce Brendan? Can Brendan be pronounced multiple ways? Record your pronunciation Recording. Click to stop. We noticed you have a microphone. If you know how to pronounce Brendan, just click the button to record. We'll save it, review it, and post it to help others. Recordings from children under 18 are not allowed. Back to Top

Notable Persons Named Brendan

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser is an actor. He was most active from 1988 to present. Brendan was given the name Brendan James Fraser on December 3rd, 1968 in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

Popularity: Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson is an actor and director. His ongoing career started in 1989. Brendan was born on March 29th, 1955 in Dublin, Ireland.

Popularity: Brendan Schaub

Brendan was born on March 18th, 1983 in Aurora, Colorado, United States.

Popularity: Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers is a soccer player for the Ballymena United F.C., Reading F.C., Newport (IOW) F.C., Witney Town A.F.C., Newbury Town F.C., Northern Ireland national under-16 football team, and Republic of Ireland national football team. Brendan was born on January 26th, 1973 in Carnlough, Northern Ireland.

Popularity: Brendan O'Carroll

Brendan O'Carroll is an actor, comedian, and producer. His most notable accomplishments were from 1991 to present. Brendan was born on September 15th, 1955 in Finglas.

Popularity: Brendan Eich

Brendan was born in 1961 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Popularity:
  • Brendan Fehr Actor
  • Brendan Shanahan Hockey Player
  • Brendan Behan Writer
  • Brendan Galloway Soccer Player
  • Brendan Hines Film
  • Brendan Smith Hockey Player
  • Brendan Fevola Australian Rules Football Player
  • Brendan Benson Musician
  • Brendan Cowell
  • Brendan B. Brown Musician
  • Brendan Gallagher Hockey Player
  • Brendan Canning Musician
  • Brendan Haywood Basketball Player
  • Brendan F. Boyle
Back to Top

Notable Persons With the Last Name Brendan

Brendan Lynch

He has had major accomplishments since 1988. Brendan was given the name Lynch, Brendan in 1937 in Abbeyfeale.

Popularity: Back to Top

Where is the name Brendan popular?

International Interest for Brendan

Interest is based how many people viewed this name from each country and is scaled based on the total views by each country so that large countries do not always show the most interest. Darker blue on the map indicates that people in the country are more likely to search for this name.

Longer bars in the bar graph indicate that people in the country are more interested in the name. Not all countries that have shown an interest in the name are listed in the bar graph.

United StatesUnited KingdomCanadaAustraliaSouth AfricaIrelandNew ZealandPapua New GuineaHondurasNamibia

Popularity in the US

View popular names by state or region. Northeast Midwest South West New England Mideast Great Lakes Plains Southeast Southwest Rocky Mountain Far West Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Go

Popularity of Brendan as a first name

The map shows the relative popularity of the name Brendan as a first name in each of the states. See other popular names in Massachusetts, Connecticut, or New Hampshire.

Back to Top

Common last names for Brendan

  • Sullivan
  • Murphy
  • Kelly
  • Smith
  • Oconnor
  • Obrien
  • White
  • Keane
Also see the most common last names in the U.S.

Fun Facts about the name Brendan

  • How Popular is the name Brendan? Brendan is the 730th most popular name of all time.
  • How many people with the first name Brendan have been born in the United States? From 1880 to 2023, the Social Security Administration has recorded 91,711 babies born with the first name Brendan in the United States. That's more than enough people named Brendan to occupy the country of Seychelles with an estimated population of 90,945 (as of August 26, 2010).
  • What year were 5 or more babies first named Brendan? The name was first given to 5 or more babies in the year 1912 when it was given as a first name to 9 new born babies.
  • When was Brendan first recorded in the United States? The oldest recorded birth by the Social Security Administration for the first name Brendan is Sunday, October 22nd, 1882.
  • What year had the most people named Brendan born? The highest recorded use of the first name Brendan was in 1999 with a total of 3,994 babies. That's a lot of babies named Brendan!
  • Random Brendan Factoid: According to the 2006 U.S. Social Security Administration data, the first name Brendan ranks 84th in popularity as a baby boy's name in Michigan. Imagine that, 165 babies in Michigan have the same name in 2006.
  • Weird things about the name Brendan: The name spelled backwards is Nadnerb. A random rearrangement of the letters in the name (anagram) will give Dnarebn. How do you pronounce that?
Back to Top

What Brendans Have Visited This Page?

  • Add Your Name
  • Brendan Hoolan
  • Brendan Hansen
  • Brendan Siddall
  • Brendan Bentley
Back to Top

Name poster for Brendan

Name poster for Brendan

(click to save the high quality version)

Back to Top
  • Share:
  • FACEBOOK
  • TWITTER
  • PINTEREST
  • E-MAIL

Most Popular Names

All TimeThis YearTrending NowFastest RisingSurnames2020s2010s2000s1990s1980s1970s1960s1950s1940s1930s1920s1910s1900s1890s1880s

All Name Lists

  • Sources:
  • U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names, Death Master File (public domain).
  • Wiktionary: Titles and License.
  • Notable persons via Wikipedia: Titles and License. Click each image for the attribution information.
Featured baby name list: Most Popular Baby Names of the 1880s Names Searched Right Now <100 Sahu<100 Lathitha9k Abril492k Noah92k Brendan<100 Tiyanshi<100 Taymiah<100 Grafals<100 Ekleen<100 Kobina<100 Tomeh2k Bee<100 Fahidat752k Emma601 Jamielynn917 Deklyn<100 Alishwa<100 Nurpa<100 Zukamimotu<100 Vadhana
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Terms of Service
  • About Names.org
  • Contact Us
  • © 2025 Names.org
Privacy Manager

Tag » What Does The Name Brendan Mean