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Home › Baby Names Directory › Brandon

Brandon

♂ Boy

Pronounced BRAN-dun /ˈbræn.dən/High

Meaning: Broom-covered hill; from Old Welsh bran (crow) + don (hill), or Old English broom-hillMedium

In 30 seconds: An Old Welsh and Old English place-name surname meaning 'broom-covered hill' or 'crow hill.' A staple of American boyhood in the 1980s–1990s, Brandon remains a solid, recognizable classic.
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Origin MediumOld English, Welsh
MeaningBroom-covered hill; from Old Welsh bran (crow) + don (hill), or Old English broom-hill
U.S. rank (2025)#261 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births1,326 boys (0.08% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1992
Total births (all-time)≈ 770,475

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199219142025

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

Brandon is an English surname derived from place names in Wales and England. The most likely etymology is Old Welsh bran ('crow') + dun ('hill'), or from Old English brōm ('broom plant') + dūn ('hill'). It may also relate to the Irish place name Brandon Hill (from Saint Brendan). As a first name it gained popularity in the United States from the 1960s onward.

Brandon was a dominant boys' name in the United States from the late 1970s through the 1990s, consistently in the top 10. It has since declined from its peak but remains a fixture of the charts. It is strongly associated with American Generation X and Millennial naming.

Did you know? Brandon was the #3 U.S. boys' name in 1993, its peak year, driven by the popularity of characters named Brandon on TV shows like Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000).

Variations

BrendanBrandanBranndon

Nicknames

BranBrandBray

Famous Bearers

  • ★Brandon Lee (1965–1993)
    American actor and son of Bruce Lee, known for his role in The Crow.

If you like Brandon…

Brody— Scottish surname name from the same era of popularity
Dylan— Welsh-origin name equally dominant in 1980s–1990s naming
Braxton— shares Brandon's Old English roots
Bayron— shares Brandon's Old English roots
Bryton— echoes that soft -on sound

Explore names like Brandon

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Brandon mean?

Brandon likely means 'broom-covered hill' or 'crow hill' from Old Welsh bran (crow) and dun (hill).

How do you pronounce Brandon?

Brandon is pronounced BRAN-dun (/ˈbræn.dən/) — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Brandon a boy or girl name?

Brandon is used almost exclusively as a boy's name.

How popular is Brandon?

Brandon was a top-5 U.S. boys' name in the early 1990s and remains in the top 200 today.

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