Unisex · #517 in 2026

Briar

Current Rank
#517
Peak Rank
#516 (2021)
Total Babies
7K
5-Yr Trend
+18%
👧 Girl peak #516 (7K total)
👦 Boy peak #669 (7K total)
👧As Girl Name
1972
First Year
2026
Last Year
2021
Peak Year
#516
Peak Rank
7K
Total Count
54
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1971
First Year
2026
Last Year
2026
Peak Year
#669
Peak Rank
7K
Total Count
44
Years Active

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. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 597 Briars were born — ranking #516 that year. As of 2026, Briar ranks #517 for girls 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

Briar first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1971, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 409 Briars were born — ranking #669 that year. As of 2026, Briar ranks #669 for boys 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

Girls Boys

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

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?
Briar is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1972. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Briar in 2026?
In 2026, Briar ranks #517 among girls' names in the U.S., with 592 babies given the name that year.
When was Briar most popular?
Briar reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking #516 that year with 597 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Briar most popular?
Briar has historically been most popular in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Briar.
Is Briar a unisex name?
Yes — Briar is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 52% of Briars assigned female and 48% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Briar?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Briar include Latrice, Jaycee, Carlotta. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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

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.