Bran

♂ Boy

Pronounced BRAN /ˈbræn/High

Meaning: From the Welsh/Old Irish Bran, 'raven'; the giant-king Bran the Blessed of the Mabinogion, whose severed head guarded Britain; we note the mythLow

In 30 seconds: Raven: Bran is a Welsh/Irish giant-king. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'BRAN'). We note the myth.

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Origin LowCeltic

MeaningFrom the Welsh/Old Irish Bran, 'raven'; the giant-king Bran the Blessed of the Mabinogion, whose severed head guarded Britain; we note the myth

U.S. rank (2024)#11099 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2021

Total births (all-time)≈ 232

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Bran comes from the Welsh/Old Irish Bran, 'raven'; the giant-king Bran the Blessed of the Mabinogion (we note the myth). A crisp, classic name (said 'BRAN').

In the U.S. it appears very rarely as a mythology name (also in Game of Thrones). Rare, raven at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Bran is 'raven' in Welsh and Old Irish — the giant-king Bran the Blessed of the Mabinogion, whose severed head was said to guard Britain — a crisp, storied name (we note the myth; said 'BRAN').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Bran — Celtic mythology; Mabinogion

Variations

BrannBram

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Bran…

Branwen— his sister

Fionn— a fellow Celtic legendary figure

Manannan— shares the -an ending

Bryan— shares the -an ending

Brian— shares Bran's Celtic roots

Explore names like Bran

By thememythology celtic

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Bran mean?

Bran is Welsh/Old Irish for 'raven'; the giant-king Bran the Blessed of the Mabinogion. We note the myth.

How do you pronounce Bran?

It's said BRAN /ˈbræn/ — one syllable.

Is Bran a boy or girl name?

Bran is a boy's name.

How popular is Bran?

Bran is a very rare name in the U.S.