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Brannan
Pronounced BRAN-uhn /ˈbræn.ən/Medium
Meaning: Brannan is an Irish surname taken up as a first name, a variant of Brannon and Brennan. It anglicizes O Braonain, from Braonan, a personal name built on braon, variously read as 'drop, moisture' or figuratively 'sorrow, teardrop.' The surname moved into given-name use in the American surname-name fashion.Low
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
Brannan is an Irish surname used as a given name, a variant of Brennan and Brannon. It anglicizes O Braonain, from the personal name Braonan on the root braon, read as 'drop, moisture' or figuratively 'sorrow.' Like many Irish surnames it became a boy's first name in the United States, though this spelling stayed uncommon.
It was never common, given to only about sixteen boys a year around its peak near 1978. A boy named Brannan then is in his forties today.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Brannan mean?
It is an Irish surname used as a first name, from O Braonain, often read as 'sorrow' or 'moisture.'
How do you pronounce Brannan?
It is said BRAN-uhn /ˈbræn.ən/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Brannan a boy or girl name?
Brannan is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Brannan?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about sixteen boys a year around its nineteen-seventies peak.