Given name & surname
Bren
“from the high hill; one who ascends”·“a ravenlike woman”
Bren is a variant of Brianna. In Irish use, Brianna carries the interpretation “from the high hill; one who ascends.” Bren is a variant of Brenna. One Welsh interpretation is “a ravenlike woman.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Bren is a variant of Brianna. In Irish use, Brianna carries the interpretation “from the high hill; one who ascends.” Bren is a variant of Brenna. One Welsh interpretation is “a ravenlike woman.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Bren is a variant of Brenna. An origin associated with Brenna is Welsh.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1956. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Bren through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 736
- 562 boys · 174 girls
- Most popular year
- 2008
- 27 babies
- 2025
- 7
- #9,858 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −30%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 9,858 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 19.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,161 as a first name in 2020; 775 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.
Bren’s family of names
Bren has a related form in Brianna. Bren has a related form in Brenna. In English usage, Bren as a surname was borrowed from the Czech form Břeň.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Bren, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Larsen
“daughter of Lars”
67% boys · 33% girls
Britton
Britton is a masculine given name.
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Quin
“woman who is queenly” · “one who provides counsel; an intelligent man”
61% boys · 39% girls
Kiernan
“having dark features; the little dark one”
69% boys · 31% girls
Keelin
“a lively and bright-headed woman” · “a slender and beautiful woman”
56% boys · 44% girls
Neri
“one who is daring”
57% boys · 43% girls
Jalyn
“one who is calm; a healer” · “one who heals others; one who is tranquil”
48% boys · 52% girls
Kemper
“one who is noble”
62% boys · 38% girls