Brent

♂ Boy

Pronounced BRENT /ˈbrɛnt/Medium

Meaning: From an English surname derived from place names, thought to come from a Celtic or Old English element meaning "hill, high place" (or "burnt land").Medium

In 30 seconds: Brent began as an English surname from place names, traced to a Celtic or Old English element thought to mean 'hill' or 'high place' (or possibly 'burnt land'). It is short, sturdy, and grounded in geography.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningFrom an English surname derived from place names, thought to come from a Celtic or Old English element meaning "hill, high place" (or "burnt land").

U.S. rank (2025)#1509 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births116 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1970

Total births (all-time)≈ 139,803

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

The name comes from English places whose root is read as 'hill' or 'high place', with 'burnt land' offered as an alternative. That place name became a surname and later a given name. The exact original sense is not entirely settled, but the link to high or burnt ground is the standard reading.

As a first name Brent has a clean, single-syllable bluntness that fits its mid-century rise. Actor Brent Spiner (born 1949), known as Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation, is among its recognizable bearers.

Did you know? Brent likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Brent — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Brent Spiner (born 1949)
American actor best known for playing the android Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation. He has also worked extensively in film, television, and theater.

If you like Brent…

Trent— another short English place-derived boy's name with the same brisk one-syllable feel

Brenton— an extended form built on the same Brent place name root

Kent— a one-syllable English place name used as a given name, like Brent

Flint— shares the -nt ending

Clint— shares the -nt ending

Explore names like Brent

By themeenglish surname-style

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Brent mean?

Brent is usually explained as meaning 'hill' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Brent?

It's commonly said BRENT /ˈbrɛnt/.

Is Brent a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Brent is used as a boy name.

How popular is Brent?

In 2024, Brent ranked #1649 in the U.S. for boys, with 102 births recorded.