Given name & surname
Branden
“from the broom or gorse hill”
Branden is a variant of Brandon. One English interpretation is “from the broom or gorse hill.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Branden is a variant of Brandon. One English interpretation is “from the broom or gorse hill.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Branden is a variant of Brandon. Brandon has been associated with Old English and Italian naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1959. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Branden is a variant of Brandon. The history of Brandon gives this family its wider story. Brandon’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Branden through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 27,867
- 27,537 boys · 330 girls
- Most popular year
- 1992
- 1,160 babies
- 2025
- 35
- #3,320 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −54%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 35 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,320 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 54.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,150 in 1992. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 22,284 as a first name in 2020; 361 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.
Branden’s family of names
Branden has a related form in Brandon.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Branden
- Branden DawsonAmerican basketball player (born 1993)
- Branden CarlsonAmerican basketball player (born 1999)
- Branden FrazierAmerican basketball player (born 1992)
- Branden SteineckertAmerican drummerborn 1978
- Branden AlbertAmerican football playerborn 1984
- Branden Jacobs-JenkinsAmerican playwrightborn 1984
- Branden GraceSouth African professional golferborn 1988
- Branden PinderAmerican baseball playerborn 1989
- Branden OliverAmerican football playerborn 1991
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Branden, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Brenton
“from the hill”
>99% boys
Akeem
“God will judge” · “one who is wise; intelligent”
>99% boys
Tristen
“one who is sorrowful”
96% boys · 4% girls
Kalen
“a mighty warrior”
94% boys · 6% girls
Bryant
Bryant is a masculine given name from Irish.
>99% boys
Ruben
“behold, a son!”
>99% boys
Davon
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Darien
“a gift”
97% boys · 3% girls