Boy · #8,145 in 2026

Breandan

Brendan is an Irish masculine given name in the English language. It is derived from the Gaelic name Breandán, which is in turn derived from the earlier Old Irish Brénainn. The Old Welsh breenhin is the root of the name, meaning 'prince' or 'king'. The mediaeval Latin form of the name, Brendanus, has also influenced the modern English and Irish forms. Variant spellings are Brendon and Brenden.

Current Rank
#8,145
Peak Rank
#6,094 (2006)
Total Babies
164
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1978
First Year
2016
Last Year
2006
Peak Year
#6094
Peak Rank
164
Total Count
24
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Breandan

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Brendan is an Irish masculine given name in the English language. It is derived from the Gaelic name Breandán, which is in turn derived from the earlier Old Irish Brénainn. The Old Welsh breenhin is the root of the name, meaning 'prince' or 'king'. The mediaeval Latin form of the name, Brendanus, has also influenced the modern English and Irish forms. Variant spellings are Brendon and Brenden.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The English Brendan is an Anglicised form of the Irish Breandán , in turn derived from the Old Irish Brénainn . This Old Irish personal name (pronounced [br'ēn-in']) is derived from a borrowing of the Old Welsh word breenhín , meaning 'a prince'. Both the English form and the modern Irish form, Breandán , are based upon the mediaeval Latin form Brendanus . According to one old Irish text there are 17 saints with the name. When used in an Irish sentence it can mutate to take the form Bhreandán , for example A Bhreandáin or ..do Bhreandán . Variations of the Irish Breandán are Breanndán , Bhrean

The Story of Breandan

Breandan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1978, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 13 Breandans were born — ranking #6,094 that year. As of 2026, Breandan ranks #8,145 for baby boys with 9 births, with steady use. In total, more than 164 Breandans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Notable people named Breandan

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Saint Brendan of Clonfert ( c. 484 – c. 577 ), Irish monastic saint
  • Saint Brendan of Birr (died 573), Abbot of Birr in Co. Offaly, contemporaneous with the above
  • Brendan Adams (born 2000), American basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
  • Brendan Allen (born 1995), American mixed martial artist
  • Brendan Behan (1923–1964), Irish writer
  • Brendan Benson (born 1970), Detroit-area musician
  • Brendan Bracken (1901–1958), Irish emigrant to Britain, businessman, magazine publisher, newspaper editor, politician and government minister
  • Brendan Byrne (1924–2018), American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Breandan

Phonetically similar names — useful when Breandan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Breandan

What does the name Breandan mean?
Brendan is an Irish masculine given name in the English language. It is derived from the Gaelic name Breandán, which is in turn derived from the earlier Old Irish Brénainn. The Old Welsh breenhin is the root of the name, meaning 'prince' or 'king'. The mediaeval Latin form of the name, Brendanus, has also influenced the modern English and Irish forms. Variant spellings are Brendon and Brenden.
How popular is Breandan in 2026?
In 2026, Breandan ranks #8,145 among boys' names in the U.S., with 9 babies given the name that year.
When was Breandan most popular?
Breandan reached its peak popularity in 2006, ranking #6,094 that year with 13 babies given the name.
Is Breandan a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Breandan is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Breandan?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Breandan include Haron, Joran, Issiac. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Haron
Peak #6094
👦
Joran
Peak #6094
👦
Issiac
Peak #6094
👦
Victorhugo
Peak #6094
👦
Johntavious
Peak #6094
👦
Joseguadalupe
Peak #6094
👦
Blaike
Peak #6094
👦
Dresean
Peak #6094

About the name Breandan

Breandan is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1978 and has accumulated 164 births in the dataset. Breandan's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #6,094. Use the chart and map above to compare Breandan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.