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Brooks

♂ Boy

Pronounced BROOKS /brʊks/High

Meaning: One who lives near a brook or stream; from Old English broc (stream)High

In 30 seconds: A crisp Old English topographic surname meaning 'lives by a brook,' Brooks has a breezy outdoorsy feel that fits the modern American trend for nature-and-landscape names.

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Origin HighOld English

MeaningOne who lives near a brook or stream; from Old English broc (stream)

U.S. rank (2025)#64 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births4,877 boys (0.29% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 57,924

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

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.

Did you know? Brooks Brothers, founded in 1818, is the oldest men's clothing retailer in the United States — the name is a famous bearer in American cultural heritage.

Variations

BrookBrooke

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Mel Brooks (1926–)
American filmmaker, actor, and comedian known for Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.

If you like Brooks…

Hayes— one-syllable surname name with the same clean American outdoors feel

Bane— a fellow Old English choice

Blake— shares Brooks's Old English roots

Burke— another Old English name

Briggs— shares Brooks's Old English roots

Explore names like Brooks

By meaningSea / Water

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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 /brʊks/ — 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.