Boy · #9,821 in 2026

Obrien

Name: Popularity of the name Obrien in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Obrien, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#9,821

Peak Rank

#3,635 (1991)

Total Babies

209

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1921

First Year

2022

Last Year

1991

Peak Year

#3635

Peak Rank

209

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Obrien

Obrien first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1921, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1991, when 16 Obriens were born — ranking #3,635 that year. As of 2026, Obrien ranks #9,821 for baby boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 209 Obriens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Obrien

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

Obrian
Obryan
Oberlin
Obriens
Orion
Oberman
Obryant
Obriant
Oberon
Obeying
Brien
Ebron

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Obrien

What does the name Obrien mean?

Obrien is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1921. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Obrien in 2026?

In 2026, Obrien ranks #9,821 among boys' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.

When was Obrien most popular?

Obrien reached its peak popularity in 1991, ranking #3,635 that year with 16 babies given the name.

Is Obrien a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Obrien is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Obrien?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Obrien include Emeka, Jasdeep, Ayron. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Obrien

Obrien is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1921 and has accumulated 209 births in the dataset. Obrien's peak popularity came in 1991 when it ranked #3,635. Use the chart and map above to compare Obrien'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.