Given name & surname · also English
Brett
“woman of Britain or Brittany”·“a man from Britain or Brittany”
Brett is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “woman of Britain or Brittany” (English) and “a man from Britain or Brittany” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “woman of Britain or Brittany” (English) and “a man from Britain or Brittany” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with English and Latin naming traditions.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Brett through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 162,513
- 159,109 boys · 3,404 girls
- Most popular year
- 1986
- 4,904 babies
- 2025
- 144
- #1,382 for boys · #8,961 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −33%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 133 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,382 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 35.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,729 in 1986. It also appeared in 11 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 142,080 as a first name in 2020; 5,038 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.
Brett’s family of names
In English usage, Brett as a surname has a diminutive in BRITTLE. In English usage, Brett has a related form in Bret. Brett has a related form in Bret.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Brett
- Brett KavanaughU.S. Supreme Court justice since 2018 (born 1965)
- Brett EmertonAustralian association football playerborn 1979
- Brett RatnerAmerican film director and producer (born 1969)
- Brett HolmanAustralian association football playerborn 1984
- Brett FavreAmerican football player (born 1969)
- Brett DaltonAmerican actorborn 1983
- Brett CullenAmerican actor (born 1956)
- Brett GelmanAmerican actor and comedianborn 1976
- Brett AndersonEnglish singerborn 1967
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Brett, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Nigel
“the champion”
>99% boys
Cade
“a precocious young woman” · “one who is round”
>99% boys
Bard
“a minstrel; a poet”
>99% boys
Ted
“a gift from God” · “having heart”
>99% boys
Rhett
“a well-spoken man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Antshel
>99% boys
Pierce
“as solid and strong as a rock”
96% boys · 4% girls
Fedrick
Fedrick is a form of Cedric. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is kind and loved; of the spectacular bounty.”
>99% boys