Briar
Briar is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Briar
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Briar is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Briar
As a girl name
Briar first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1972, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 597 births, good for #516 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 54% of all recorded Briars. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #517 among girl names with 592 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). In total, more than 7K Briars have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Briar as a boy name dates back to 1971, when 5 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 409 newborns named Briar — #669 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 39% of all recorded Briars. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #669 among boy names with 409 births, rising sharply (+29% over the past five years). In total, more than 7K Briars have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Briar
Phonetically similar names — useful when Briar 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 Briar
What does the name Briar mean?
What is the origin of the name Briar?
How popular is Briar in 2026?
When was Briar most popular?
In which U.S. states is Briar most popular?
Is Briar a unisex name?
What names go well with Briar?
About the name Briar
Briar is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1972 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Briar's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #516. Use the chart and map above to compare Briar's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.