Given name & surname

Brody

“from the ditch”

Brody is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “from the ditch.”

Meaning & origin

What it means

One interpretation is “from the ditch.”

Where it comes from

In English use, Brody has a related form in Brodie. A possible origin is Scottish, although the derivation remains uncertain.

Explained through its name family

How it developed

In Cebuano usage, Brody is a diminutive of Brodelio.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1954. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Brody through the years

Babies since 1880
81,960
81,678 boys · 282 girls
Most popular year
2008
6,319 babies
2025
1,492
#236 for boys
2021–25 vs 2016–20
−30%
Easing
01,0002,0003,0004,0001960198020002025Highest share 2008873
Brody in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1954–2025, per million boys born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

Where it’s given

Most at home inMinnesota, Kentucky, Michigan
FewerMore, relative to births Not published
2025 births by state of birth. Tiles are equal-sized so small states stay visible. Highest rates: Minnesota (42), Kentucky (33), Michigan (66), New Jersey (63), Wisconsin (35).

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 1,492 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 236 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 30.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 6,299 in 2008. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (137). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 67,093 as a first name in 2020; 6,510 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.

Brody’s family of names

In Cebuano usage, Brody is a diminutive of Brodelio. In English usage, Brody has a related form in Brodie. Brody has a related form in Brodie.

Walk Brody’s family in the name graph

BrodyBrodieBrodiBrodeeBrodeyBroddieBrodyeBroddyBrodelioBrodeaRody

Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Nicknames & forms 9

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Show 1 moreShow fewer

Across languages 1

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

People named Brody

Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.

Similar names

If you love Brody, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Irish

Brady

“a large-chested woman” · “the son of a large-chested man”

67FamiliarEasing

96% boys · 4% girls

Gaelic

Grady

“one who is famous; noble”

64FamiliarSteady

99% boys · 1% girls

Gaelic

Brennan

“resembling a little raven” · “a sorrowful man; a teardrop”

49UncommonCooling

92% boys · 8% girls

English

Braden

“resembling salmon” · “from the wide valley”

46UncommonCooling

>99% boys

Gaelic · Modern

Brogan

“one who is sturdy; reliable”

29RareCooling

84% boys · 16% girls

Gaelic · Timeless

Oscar

“a spear of the gods” · “a friend of deer”

71CommonEasing

>99% boys

Welsh

Bryson

“the son of Brice”

75CommonEasing

>99% boys

Celtic languages

Bryce

Bryce is a masculine given name from Celtic.

65FamiliarCooling

96% boys · 4% girls

Sibling ideas

Names that share Brody’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Brody

A sister for Brody