Given name & surname · also Gaelic
Bram
“resembling a raven”·“a thicket of wild gorse”
Bram is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “resembling a raven” and “a thicket of wild gorse”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “resembling a raven” and “a thicket of wild gorse”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Irish.
How it developed
In Dutch usage, Bram is a short form of Abraham.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1948. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In Dutch use, Bram is a short form of Abraham. The history of Abraham gives this family its wider story. Abraham appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Bram through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,537
- 1,537 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 72 babies
- 2025
- 56
- #2,422 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −15%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 56 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,422 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 14.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 72 in 2016. In 2025, Utah had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,417 as a first name in 2020; 778 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Bram’s family of names
In Dutch usage, Bram is a short form of Abraham. Bram has a related form in Brahm. Bram has a related form in Brahmm.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Bram has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Abrahamfull form · Dutch, English
- Brahmvariant
- Bromvariant
- Brammetjediminutive · Dutch
- Brohmvariant
- Brahmmvariant
- Brammvariant
- Âbra-amfull form · nrf
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Bram
- Bram StokerIrish novelist and short story writer (1847–1912)
- Bram CohenAmerican programmer, creator of BitTorrent protocolborn 1975
- Bram MoolenaarDutch programmer (1961–2023)
- Bram Tankinkroad bicycle racerborn 1978
- Bram NuytinckDutch footballerborn 1990
- Bram FischerSouth African lawyer and anti-apartheid activist (1908-1975)
- Bram Sompersonborn 1980
- Bram de GrootDutch cyclistborn 1974
- Bram WeltenDutch cyclistborn 1997
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Bram, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Heth
“terror” · “dread”
90% boys · 10% girls
Eòsaph
“may he add”
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Efraim
“fruitful” · “one who is fertile; productive”
>99% boys
Sampson
Sampson is a masculine given name from Hebrew. It is used in English and Middle English.
>99% boys
Zacharias
“The Lord remembers”
>99% boys
Abran
“father of a multitude (of nations)” · “father of a multitude; father of nations”
>99% boys
Cain
“craftsman”
>99% boys
Avel
“the life force; breath”
>99% boys