Brian is a distinctive choice, ranked #538 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Brian in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#538
US Rank #301
About the Name Brian
Brian is steadily gaining in popularity, up 49 places over the past five years. Its best recorded rank was #251 in 1996, and it currently sits at #538. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Brian is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #301, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Brian
Unlikely. With around 71 UK babies named Brian per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Brian in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Brian is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 49 places over the last five years to #538 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Brian is more popular in the US (#301) than in the UK (#538). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Brian include: Brian Peck — Brian Richard Peck is an American convicted sex offender and former dialogue coach and actor.; Brian Molko — Brian Molko is a British-American musician who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist of the band Placebo.; Brian Zembic — Brian Zembic, nicknamed the Wiz is a Canadian magician and high-stakes gambler specializing in blackjack and backgammon..
Brian appears in the US top 500 at #301 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
71
UK babies named Brian (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 49 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Brian
Likely around 1 other Brian in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Brian
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Brian Richard Peck is an American convicted sex offender and former dialogue coach and actor. From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, he worked on popular children's shows produced by Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, including The Amanda Show, All That and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
Brian Molko is a British-American musician who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist of the band Placebo. He is known for his nasal voice and high registered vocals, feminine/androgynous appearance, aggressive guitar style and non-standard tunings.
Brian Zembic, nicknamed the Wiz is a Canadian magician and high-stakes gambler specializing in blackjack and backgammon. In the late 1990s, he became famed as "a man who would do anything to win a bet".
Brian Samuel Epstein was an English music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1961 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him in charge of their music shop, where he displayed a gift for talent-spotting.