Brena

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Brena

Pronounced BREN-uh /ˈbrɛn.ə/High

Meaning: Brena reads as a spelling of Brenna — an Irish-derived name meaning 'raven-haired' and the feminine of Brennan — and shades toward Brina and Sabrina. It is a soft, modern girl's name whose meaning tracks its Brenna parent.Low

In 30 seconds: Brena is a variant of Brenna ('raven-haired', Irish), close to Brina and Sabrina — a soft, modern girl's name (said 'BREN-uh').

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Brena

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Origin LowIrish, English

MeaningBrena reads as a spelling of Brenna — an Irish-derived name meaning 'raven-haired' and the feminine of Brennan — and shades toward Brina and Sabrina. It is a soft, modern girl's name whose meaning tracks its Brenna parent.

U.S. rank (2021)#9070 ↗ Rising

2021 U.S. births11 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2007

Total births (all-time)≈ 794

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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

Brena aligns with Brenna, an Irish-flavored name traditionally read 'raven-haired' and used as a feminine of Brennan; it also touches Brina and short-form Sabrina. The single-n spelling keeps a gentle two-beat sound.

It stayed rare throughout, peaking around 2007 amid the broader Bren-/Bri- fashion, then easing. Brena is a quiet modern option rather than a widely used name.

Did you know? Unusually for this tier, Brena crested in the late 2000s rather than mid-century, riding the same taste for Bren-/Bri- names as Brenna and Brianna.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Brenna / Sabrina — Irish 'raven-haired'; Brena variant

Variations

BrennaBrinaBreena

Nicknames

BrenBree

Famous Bearers

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If you like Brena…

Brenna— the parent name Brena spells more simply

Brina— a close short cousin Brena shades into

Breanna— a like Bre- girl's name of the era

Sabrina— the fuller name Brena can shorten

Explore names like Brena

By thememodern rare variant

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Brena mean?

Brena is a variant of Brenna, from Irish roots, traditionally read 'raven-haired'.

How do you pronounce Brena?

It's said BREN-uh /ˈbrɛn.ə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Brena a boy or girl name?

Brena is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Brena?

Rare — a quiet variant of Brenna that saw a small late-two-thousands bump.