Fun Facts About the Name Brandon
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 770,475 boys named Brandon from 1880 through 2025.
- An established favorite: Brandon held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 46 consecutive years, from 1971 through 2016.
- More than 774 thousand babies named Brandon: U.S. records list 774,620 babies given the name Brandon from 1880 through 2025. Even 4,145 girls received the name Brandon - about 1 girl for every 186 boys.
What Does the Name Brandon Mean?
Brandon is an English name meaning "broom hill," from Old English brōm "broom" and dūn "hill." It comes from the English surname Brandon, which is a local surname taken from one or more places in England. The first element is sometimes explained differently for particular places: some may contain Old English brand "firebrand, burning," so the exact sense is not uniform across every place that gave rise to the surname. In Ireland, Brandon is also used as an English form of the Irish name Breandán (earlier Bréanainn), the name of Saint Brendan. That Irish use is a separate development and does not come from the English place name.
Brandon Name History & Origins
The English surname Brandon is a local surname: it was taken from one or more of the places named Brandon. These include Brandon in Suffolk, Brandon in Warwickshire, and Brandon in County Durham. In the Middle Ages, people who moved away from such a place could be identified by it, and the name passed down as a hereditary surname. The place name itself goes back to Old English elements, usually brōm and dūn, though some places may instead contain brand. The surname is also familiar from Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, a courtier of Henry VIII.
As a first name, Brandon is a transferred use of the surname. It became established as a given name in the 20th century in English-speaking countries. In Ireland, Brandon also has a separate use as an English equivalent of the Irish name Breandán. Mount Brandon in County Kerry is named after Saint Brendan, and the Irish form of the mountain's name is Cnoc Bréanainn. The English place-name Brandon and the Irish personal name Breandán are not related, despite their similar spellings.
How Popular is the Name Brandon?
Brandon remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1971 to 2016. Its highest annual birth count was in 1992, and people born that year turn 34 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | #14,111 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #14,078 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #11,829 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #12,020 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #12,178 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #7,877 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #7,493 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #8,337 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2009 | #10,089 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #8,599 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #9,101 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2006 | #5,742 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2005 | #4,501 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2004 | #2,749 | 59 | 0.0032% |
| 2003 | #4,964 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2002 | #3,989 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2001 | #3,377 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 2000 | #3,221 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 1999 | #3,054 | 43 | 0.0024% |
| 1998 | #2,572 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 1997 | #2,312 | 58 | 0.0033% |
| 1996 | #1,808 | 81 | 0.0046% |
| 1995 | #1,705 | 86 | 0.0049% |
| 1994 | #1,610 | 94 | 0.0053% |
| 1993 | #1,540 | 101 | 0.0056% |
| 1992 | #1,602 | 96 | 0.0052% |
| 1991 | #2,112 | 63 | 0.0034% |
| 1990 | #1,717 | 85 | 0.0045% |
| 1989 | #1,199 | 135 | 0.0073% |
| 1988 | #990 | 166 | 0.0093% |
| 1987 | #806 | 217 | 0.0125% |
| 1986 | #683 | 269 | 0.0157% |
| 1985 | #662 | 273 | 0.0159% |
| 1984 | #706 | 235 | 0.0140% |
| 1983 | #686 | 247 | 0.0148% |
| 1982 | #801 | 201 | 0.0119% |
| 1981 | #752 | 220 | 0.0132% |
| 1980 | #1,050 | 136 | 0.0082% |
| 1979 | #1,081 | 127 | 0.0079% |
| 1978 | #1,241 | 100 | 0.0065% |
| 1977 | #1,248 | 96 | 0.0063% |
| 1976 | #1,166 | 98 | 0.0067% |
| 1975 | #1,192 | 97 | 0.0067% |
| 1974 | #1,316 | 81 | 0.0055% |
| 1973 | #1,458 | 65 | 0.0045% |
| 1972 | #1,749 | 50 | 0.0033% |
| 1971 | #2,070 | 40 | 0.0024% |
| 1970 | #2,168 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1969 | #2,710 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1968 | #3,069 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1967 | #3,678 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1966 | #6,661 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #5,334 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #5,528 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #5,346 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1962 | #5,922 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #5,908 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #5,622 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #5,468 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #6,037 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1955 | #4,402 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1954 | #4,706 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #261 | 1,326 | 0.0776% |
| 2024 | #230 | 1,553 | 0.0905% |
| 2023 | #219 | 1,664 | 0.0974% |
| 2022 | #211 | 1,774 | 0.1017% |
| 2021 | #181 | 2,134 | 0.1221% |
| 2020 | #165 | 2,312 | 0.1340% |
| 2019 | #141 | 2,685 | 0.1497% |
| 2018 | #124 | 3,210 | 0.1768% |
| 2017 | #114 | 3,497 | 0.1890% |
| 2016 | #99 | 4,101 | 0.2162% |
| 2015 | #83 | 5,126 | 0.2675% |
| 2014 | #71 | 5,856 | 0.3049% |
| 2013 | #70 | 6,234 | 0.3296% |
| 2012 | #56 | 7,039 | 0.3711% |
| 2011 | #47 | 7,820 | 0.4118% |
| 2010 | #44 | 8,548 | 0.4456% |
| 2009 | #38 | 9,847 | 0.4965% |
| 2008 | #33 | 11,481 | 0.5628% |
| 2007 | #31 | 12,145 | 0.5852% |
| 2006 | #27 | 12,686 | 0.6173% |
| 2005 | #27 | 12,946 | 0.6482% |
| 2004 | #22 | 14,135 | 0.7122% |
| 2003 | #21 | 15,245 | 0.7718% |
| 2002 | #20 | 16,281 | 0.8386% |
| 2001 | #18 | 17,892 | 0.9209% |
| 2000 | #12 | 20,337 | 1.0355% |
| 1999 | #11 | 21,602 | 1.1251% |
| 1998 | #7 | 23,830 | 1.2468% |
| 1997 | #8 | 25,196 | 1.3366% |
| 1996 | #8 | 25,847 | 1.3645% |
| 1995 | #8 | 26,904 | 1.4133% |
| 1994 | #6 | 29,490 | 1.5265% |
| 1993 | #6 | 28,735 | 1.4651% |
| 1992 | #6 | 29,627 | 1.4833% |
| 1991 | #15 | 26,022 | 1.2880% |
| 1990 | #19 | 22,162 | 1.0790% |
| 1989 | #18 | 23,310 | 1.1650% |
| 1988 | #17 | 23,744 | 1.2404% |
| 1987 | #14 | 24,823 | 1.3296% |
| 1986 | #13 | 27,253 | 1.4799% |
| 1985 | #13 | 29,307 | 1.5856% |
| 1984 | #15 | 25,671 | 1.4223% |
| 1983 | #17 | 23,516 | 1.3118% |
| 1982 | #18 | 20,215 | 1.1140% |
| 1981 | #19 | 20,205 | 1.1279% |
| 1980 | #31 | 14,162 | 0.7938% |
| 1979 | #35 | 11,302 | 0.6565% |
| 1978 | #40 | 9,241 | 0.5628% |
| 1977 | #41 | 8,272 | 0.5034% |
| 1976 | #40 | 7,790 | 0.4964% |
| 1975 | #44 | 7,089 | 0.4540% |
| 1974 | #51 | 5,859 | 0.3726% |
| 1973 | #58 | 5,066 | 0.3250% |
| 1972 | #63 | 4,625 | 0.2852% |
| 1971 | #95 | 3,262 | 0.1844% |
| 1970 | #131 | 2,544 | 0.1369% |
| 1969 | #218 | 1,107 | 0.0619% |
| 1968 | #263 | 759 | 0.0437% |
| 1967 | #342 | 483 | 0.0277% |
| 1966 | #379 | 397 | 0.0223% |
| 1965 | #394 | 395 | 0.0212% |
| 1964 | #455 | 304 | 0.0153% |
| 1963 | #499 | 259 | 0.0128% |
| 1962 | #566 | 194 | 0.0094% |
| 1961 | #565 | 193 | 0.0091% |
| 1960 | #571 | 186 | 0.0087% |
| 1959 | #572 | 186 | 0.0087% |
| 1958 | #665 | 132 | 0.0062% |
| 1957 | #665 | 131 | 0.0061% |
| 1956 | #587 | 168 | 0.0079% |
| 1955 | #716 | 104 | 0.0050% |
| 1954 | #580 | 162 | 0.0079% |
| 1953 | #671 | 113 | 0.0057% |
| 1952 | #805 | 76 | 0.0039% |
| 1951 | #994 | 50 | 0.0027% |
| 1950 | #936 | 54 | 0.0030% |
| 1949 | #1,086 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1948 | #1,218 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1947 | #1,321 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1946 | #2,556 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1945 | #2,264 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1944 | #1,636 | 18 | 0.0013% |
| 1943 | #1,773 | 17 | 0.0012% |
| 1942 | #2,397 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #2,350 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1940 | #2,341 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1938 | #2,895 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1937 | #2,941 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1936 | #2,073 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1935 | #2,548 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1934 | #3,326 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #2,112 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1932 | #2,663 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1931 | #2,221 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1930 | #2,315 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1929 | #2,219 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1928 | #2,869 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1927 | #1,966 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1926 | #1,920 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1925 | #2,956 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #2,490 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1923 | #2,031 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1922 | #2,255 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1921 | #3,007 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1920 | #2,986 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #2,525 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1918 | #2,083 | 15 | 0.0015% |
| 1917 | #2,757 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1916 | #1,861 | 16 | 0.0018% |
| 1915 | #2,200 | 12 | 0.0014% |
| 1914 | #1,987 | 11 | 0.0017% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Brandon
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Brandon Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Brandon's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Brandon's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.