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Brooklyn

♀ Girl

Pronounced BROOK-lin /ˈbrʊk.lɪn/High

Meaning: Broken land or marsh; from Dutch Breukelen, a village near UtrechtHigh

In 30 seconds: A place name from Dutch meaning 'broken land,' Brooklyn was the name of a New York City borough before it became one of the most popular place-to-first-name conversions of the early 2000s.
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Origin HighDutch
MeaningBroken land or marsh; from Dutch Breukelen, a village near Utrecht
Peak year2011
Total births (all-time)≈ 97,538

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201119722017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Brooklyn is named after the New York City borough, which itself was named by Dutch settlers after Breukelen, a village near Utrecht in the Netherlands. As a place name it derives from Dutch elements meaning 'broken land' or 'marshy terrain.'

As a given name Brooklyn surged in the United States in the late 1990s and 2000s, aided partly by celebrity adoptions. It has been a top-50 U.S. girls' name in recent years.

Did you know? Brooklyn (the borough) was named after the Dutch village of Breukelen, near Utrecht — the same village that gave its name to the New Jersey town of Breakneck Ridge.

Variations

BrooklynnBrooklin

Nicknames

BrookBrookieLyn

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Brooklyn…

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Haven— two-syllable modern girls' name with the same breezy American feel

Frequently Asked

What does the name Brooklyn mean?

Brooklyn is named after the New York City borough, which was named by Dutch settlers after Breukelen in the Netherlands, meaning 'broken land' or 'marsh.'

How do you pronounce Brooklyn?

It is said BROOK-lin /ˈbrʊk.lɪn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Brooklyn a boy or girl name?

Brooklyn is used predominantly as a girl's name in the United States.

How popular is Brooklyn?

Brooklyn has been a top-50 U.S. girls' name in recent years.