Given name & surname
Brooks
“from the running stream”
Brooks is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the running stream.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “from the running stream.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Brooks through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 59,639
- 57,946 boys · 1,693 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 4,965 babies
- 2025
- 4,965
- #64 for boys · #2,126 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +72%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 98% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 4,877 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 64 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 71.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 88 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (409). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 29,168 as a first name in 2020; 244,116 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.
Brooks’s family of names
In English usage, Brooks has a diminutive in BROOKSY. Brooks has a related form in Brooke. In English usage, Brooks has a related form in Brook.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Brooks
- Brooks WackermanAmerican drummerborn 1977
- Brooks KoepkaAmerican professional golfer (born 1990)
- Brooks OrpikAmerican ice hockey playerborn 1980
- Brooks WheelanAmerican comedianborn 1986
- Brooks MacekGerman ice hockey playerborn 1992
- Brooks RobinsonAmerican baseball player (1937–2023)
- Brooks AdamsAmerican political writer (1848–1927)
- Brooks LennonAmerican soccer playerborn 1997
- Brooks AtkinsonAmerican critic (1894–1984)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Brooks, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Knox
“from the rounded hill Kнохх, Knoks, Knocks”
99% boys · 1% girls
Banks
Banks is a surname.
91% boys · 9% girls
Wells
“from the springs”
98% boys · 2% girls
Maddox
“born into wealth and prosperity” · “the son of the benefactor”
96% boys · 4% girls
Rowan
“of the red-berry tree”
74% boys · 26% girls
Rome
“Rome, Constantinople”
90% boys · 10% girls
Gael
“woman from Ireland” · “one who is or speaks Gaelic”
>99% boys
Graham
“from the gravelled area; from the gray home”
>99% boys