Given name & surname
Brenna
“a ravenlike woman”
Brenna is used as a given name and a surname. One Welsh interpretation is “a ravenlike woman.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Welsh interpretation is “a ravenlike woman.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Welsh.
How it developed
In English usage, Brenna is a feminine form of Brennan.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1946. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Brenna through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 29,371
- 0 boys · 29,371 girls
- Most popular year
- 1995
- 1,212 babies
- 2025
- 108
- #1,846 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −50%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 108 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,846 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 49.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,212 in 1995. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (11). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 27,835 as a first name in 2020; 604 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.
Brenna’s family of names
In English usage, Brenna is a feminine form of Brennan. Brenna has a related form in Brina. Brenna has a related form in Bren.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Brenna
- Brenna D'AmicoAmerican actressborn 2000
- Brenna O'Brienactressborn 1991
- Brenna HardingAustralian actressborn 1996
- Brenna LlewellynCanadian actress
- Brenna DowellAmerican artistic gymnastborn 1996
- Brenna LoveraAmerican soccer playerborn 1997
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Brenna, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Briana
“from the high hill; one who ascends”
>99% girls
Brianna
“from the high hill; one who ascends”
>99% girls
Kiana
“from an ancient family” · “of an ancient family”
>99% girls
Leanna
“the shining light”
>99% girls
McKenna
“the son of Kenna; to ascend”
>99% girls
Shayla
“of the fairy palace”
>99% girls
Kara
“one who is pure” · “dearly loved”
>99% girls
Michaela
“who is like God?” · “brook”
>99% girls