About the name Brian
Brian Boru, the high king who broke Viking power in Ireland, is the reason this name exists at all. A thousand years later it has become the affectionate shorthand for a certain kind of unpretentious dad, which is not a bad legacy either.
Brian is a boy name of Irish (Gaelic) origin, pronounced BRY-un. On the NameRarity scale it scores 42 out of 100, which places it in the uncommon band — familiar to everyone, yet rarely duplicated in the same room. Its strongest period was the 1970s.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Brian?
Brian sits at approximately #320 in recent US rankings. Roughly 210 people per million carry it — about 1 in 4,762. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Brian
- Brian WilsonAmerican songwriter and leader of the Beach Boys
- Brian EnoEnglish musician and producer who pioneered ambient music
- Brian CoxScottish actor known for Succession
Spellings and variants of Brian
Names similar to Brian
Rian
REE-un
Little king; also read as a beam of light
Brendan
BREN-dun
Prince
Nolan
NOH-lun
Descendant of the noble champion
Ronan
ROH-nun
Little seal
Declan
DEK-lun
Full of goodness
Liam
LEE-um
Resolute protector, strong-willed warrior
Rowan
ROH-an
Little red one; rowan tree
Ryan
RY-un
Little king
Brian — frequently asked questions
What does the name Brian mean?
Brian means "Noble, high". It is a name of Irish (Gaelic) origin, most often given to a boy.
How do you pronounce Brian?
Brian is pronounced BRY-un, with 1 syllable.
How rare is the name Brian?
Brian scores 42 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it uncommon. Roughly 1 in every 4,762 people carry it — about 210 per million.
What is the numerology number for Brian?
Brian carries the expression number 8, known as The Powerhouse. Its soul urge number is 1 and its personality number is 7.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Brian?
The lucky number for Brian is 8 (with 17, 26, 35 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Midnight Navy. The traditional lucky day is Saturday and the associated gemstone is Onyx.
Is Brian a popular name?
Brian currently sits around rank #320 in the United States, and its strongest period was the 1970s.