Brett
Brett is an Irish and English surname of Norman origin. It derives from an Old French ethnic name denoting to a Breton person. Bretts arrived in both Ireland and England via their respective Norman conquests. Irish Bretts are most numerous in County Tipperary, County Waterford and County Sligo. Brett is de Breit in the Irish language.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Brett
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Brett is an Irish and English surname of Norman origin. It derives from an Old French ethnic name denoting to a Breton person. Bretts arrived in both Ireland and England via their respective Norman conquests. Irish Bretts are most numerous in County Tipperary, County Waterford and County Sligo. Brett is de Breit in the Irish language.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Brett
The earliest SSA record of Brett as a baby boy name dates back to 1926, when 5 babies received it. 1986 was its biggest year on record, with 4,731 newborns named Brett — #69 in the national rankings. About 26% of every Brett on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Brett ranks #1,131 for baby boys with 190 births, falling sharply (-25%). All told, over 159K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1920s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Brett
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Brett. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Brett
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Brett Anderson (disambiguation)
- Brett Madden (1978–2020), American voice actress, actress and producer
- Brett Baty (born 1999), American baseball player
- Brett Barker , American politician
- Brett Barnett (born 1992), English writer and director
- Brett Blundy (born 1959/1960), Australian billionaire businessman
- Brett Bolton (born 2006), American sledge hockey player
- Brett Boyko (born 1992), American football player
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Brett
Phonetically similar names — useful when Brett 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 Brett
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In which U.S. states is Brett most popular?
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About the name Brett
Brett is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1926 and has accumulated 159K births in the dataset. Brett's peak popularity came in 1986 when it ranked #69. Use the chart and map above to compare Brett's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1986 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.