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Brooks
How to Pronounce Brooks
Pronounced BROOKS /brΚks/High
Meaning: One who lives near a brook or stream; from Old English broc (stream)High
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Brooks is an English topographic surname for someone who lived near a brook, from Old English broc (stream or brook). Topographic surnames like this became hereditary in England during the medieval period.
As a given name Brooks has risen in popularity in the United States in the 21st century, carried by a fashion for short, nature-inflected surname names for boys.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- β
Mel Brooks (1926β)American filmmaker, actor, and comedian known for Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Brooks mean?
Brooks is an Old English topographic surname meaning 'one who lives near a brook or stream,' from broc (stream).
How do you pronounce Brooks?
It is said BROOKS /brΚks/ β one syllable.
Is Brooks a boy or girl name?
Brooks is primarily used as a boy's name, while the related name Brooke is mainly a girl's name.
How popular is Brooks?
Brooks has been climbing the U.S. charts in the 21st century and now appears in the top 200 boys' names.