Brighten
Brighten is the third solo album by Alice in Chains guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell. Released on October 29, 2021, it is his first independent album as well as his first solo album in 19 years, since 2002's Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2. In addition to singing, Cantrell also played guitar, bass and keyboards on the album. He described the album as "a journey up through darkness to light".
Meaning & Origin of Brighten
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Brighten is the third solo album by Alice in Chains guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell. Released on October 29, 2021, it is his first independent album as well as his first solo album in 19 years, since 2002's Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2. In addition to singing, Cantrell also played guitar, bass and keyboards on the album. He described the album as "a journey up through darkness to light".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Brighten
As a girl name
Brighten first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2000, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 11 Brightens were born — ranking #9,339 that year. As of 2026, Brighten ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 98 Brightens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Brighten first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2003, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2010, when 15 Brightens were born — ranking #5,741 that year. As of 2026, Brighten ranks #9,864 for boys with 7 births, falling sharply (-17%). In total, more than 165 Brightens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Brighten
Phonetically similar names — useful when Brighten 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 Brighten
What does the name Brighten mean?
How popular is Brighten in 2026?
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About the name Brighten
Brighten is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2003 and has accumulated 165 births in the dataset. Brighten's peak popularity came in 2010 when it ranked #5,741. Use the chart and map above to compare Brighten's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2010 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy 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.