Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Brooklyn

Brooklyn

♀ Girl

Pronounced BROOK-lin /ˈbrʊk.lɪn/High

Meaning: Broken land or marsh; from Dutch Breukelen, a village near UtrechtHigh

In 30 seconds: A place name from Dutch meaning 'broken land,' Brooklyn was the name of a New York City borough before it became one of the most popular place-to-first-name conversions of the early 2000s.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighDutch
MeaningBroken land or marsh; from Dutch Breukelen, a village near Utrecht
U.S. rank (2025)#118 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births2,300 girls (0.14% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2011
Total births (all-time)≈ 125,147

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201119722025

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

Brooklyn is named after the New York City borough, which itself was named by Dutch settlers after Breukelen, a village near Utrecht in the Netherlands. As a place name it derives from Dutch elements meaning 'broken land' or 'marshy terrain.'

As a given name Brooklyn surged in the United States in the late 1990s and 2000s, aided partly by celebrity adoptions. It has been a fixture in the top 250 U.S. girls' names in recent years.

Did you know? Brooklyn (the borough) was named after the Dutch village of Breukelen, near Utrecht — the same village that gave its name to the New Jersey town of Breakneck Ridge.

Variations

BrooklynnBrooklin

Nicknames

BrookBrookieLyn

Famous Bearers

  • ★Brooklyn Beckham (1999-)
    English model and photographer, son of David and Victoria Beckham
  • ★Brooklyn Decker (1987-)
    American model and actress

If you like Brooklyn…

Scarlett— bold American place-to-name crossover with the same pop-culture energy
Savannah— American city-to-girls'-name with the same Southern charm
Haven— two-syllable modern girls' name with the same breezy American feel
Bowie— shares Brooklyn's Dutch roots
Brandy— shares Brooklyn's Dutch roots

Frequently Asked

What does the name Brooklyn mean?

Brooklyn is named after the New York City borough, which was named by Dutch settlers after Breukelen in the Netherlands, meaning 'broken land' or 'marsh.'

How do you pronounce Brooklyn?

It is said BROOK-lin /ˈbrʊk.lɪn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Brooklyn a boy or girl name?

Brooklyn is used predominantly as a girl's name in the United States.

How popular is Brooklyn?

Brooklyn has been a top-50 U.S. girls' name in recent years.

💬 Ask Nia