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Home › Baby Names Directory › Branko

Branko

♂ Boy

Pronounced BRAHN-koh /ˈbrɑn.koʊ/Medium

Meaning: From the Slavic — a short form of Branislav, joining bran, 'defence; to defend', and slava, 'glory', hence 'one who defends the glory'Low

In 30 seconds: Glory; defence: Branko is Slavic. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'BRAHN-koh').
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Origin LowSlavic
MeaningFrom the Slavic — a short form of Branislav, joining bran, 'defence; to defend', and slava, 'glory', hence 'one who defends the glory'
U.S. rank (2024)#8380 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births9 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1975
Total births (all-time)≈ 85

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197519612024

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

Branko comes from the Slavic — a short form of Branislav, joining bran, 'defence; to defend', and slava, 'glory', hence 'one who defends the glory'. A crisp, classic name (said 'BRAHN-koh').

In the U.S. it appears in Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian families. Rare, glory-and-defence at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Branko is a short form of Branislav, joining the Slavic bran, 'defence', and slava, 'glory', hence 'one who defends the glory' — a crisp, classic name (said 'BRAHN-koh').
Overall data confidence 42%
References — Branko — Slavic etymology

Variations

BranislavBrane

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Branko…

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Berlin— a fellow Slavic choice

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Branko mean?

Branko is a Slavic short form of Branislav — 'one who defends the glory' (bran, 'defence', + slava, 'glory').

How do you pronounce Branko?

It's said BRAHN-koh /ˈbrɑn.koʊ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Branko a boy or girl name?

Branko is a boy's name.

How popular is Branko?

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

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