Bren

♂ Boy

Pronounced BREN /ˈbrɛn/High

Meaning: A short form of Brendan ('a prince', from the Welsh) and Brennan ('descendant of Braonan, a little raindrop/sorrow'); routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: A prince; a little raven: Bren is a short form of Brendan/Brennan. Crisp, modern, and warm.

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Origin LowIrish

MeaningA short form of Brendan ('a prince', from the Welsh) and Brennan ('descendant of Braonan, a little raindrop/sorrow'); routes layered

U.S. rank (2024)#9079 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births8 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2003

Total births (all-time)≈ 555

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

Bren is a short form of Brendan ('a prince', from the Welsh) and Brennan ('descendant of Braonan, a little raindrop/sorrow'; routes layered, which we note). A crisp, modern name (said 'BREN').

In the U.S. it appears as a short form for both. Rare, a-prince at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Bren is a short form of Brendan ('a prince') and Brennan — a crisp, modern name (the routes are layered, which we note; said 'BREN').

Overall data confidence 28%

References — Brendan — nickname; routes layered

Variations

BrennBrendanBrennan

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Bren…

Brendan— a source name

Brennan— a source name

Glenn— a sound-neighbor one-syllable boys' name

Braden— a similarly popular pick

Braeden— shares Bren's Irish roots

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Bren mean?

Bren is a short form of Brendan ('a prince') and Brennan; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Bren?

It's said BREN /brn/ — one syllable.

Is Bren a boy or girl name?

Bren is a boy's name.

How popular is Bren?

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