Brian

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Brian

Gender: Masculine
Language/Origin: Irish, English
Etymology:
Brian is the English form of an Old Irish name, Brigonos. It originally meant “High Hill.”

History:
Brian has been a continual favorite in Ireland, since the 10th century at least, but it was also popular in Normandy (which had gotten it from Ireland by way of Brittany) in the Middle Ages. Soon after the Norman Invasion, the name subsequently disappeared in England until the 18th century. It was revived in the 20th century.

Pronunciation: bry-ann

Alternates: Brien, Brion, Bryan.
Breton: Briac.
French: Bryant, Briant, Brient, Briand, Briend, Briandet.
Hawaiian: Palaina.
Latin: Brianus, Brienus.
Scandinavian: Brjan.

Surnames: Bryans, McBrien, Mac Briain, O'Brian, O'Bryan.

Feminine: Brianna.

See also: Bryan, Bryant.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Brian Moore (1921-1999)
Irish poet.
Brian W. Aldiss (1925-)
English author.
Brian Friel (1929-)
Irish playwright.

Miscellaneous:
Brian Redhead (1929-1994)
British broadcast journalist.
Brian Boitano (1963-)
American figure skater.
Brian Lara (1969-)
West Indian cricket player.

Political Figures:
Brian Dickson (1916-1998)
Member of the Canadian Supreme Court.
Brian Joseph Lenihan (1930-1995)
Irish politician.
Brian Mulroney (1939-)
Prime Minister of Canada.

Royalty:
Brian Boru (941-1014)
High king of Ireland.

Scientists:
Brian D. Josephson (1940-)
British physicist. Co-winner of the 1973 Nobel Prize for Physics.

Singers and Entertainers:
Brian Keith (1921-1997)
American actor.
Brian Dennehy (1938-)
American actor.
Brian De Palma (1940-)
American film director.
Brian Wilson (1943-)
Part of the musical group The Beach Boys.
Brian Eno (1948-)
British music producer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.736 % named Brian
0.190 % named Bryan
0.026 % named Bryant

Popularity of Brian:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1930: N/A
1930-1940: 324th most popular.
1940-1950: 113th most popular.
1950-1960: 35th most popular.
1960-1970: 16th most popular.
1968: 10th most popular.
1969: 10th most popular.
1970: 10th most popular.
1971: 9th most popular.
1972: 8th most popular.
1973: 8th most popular.
1974: 8th most popular.
1975: 8th most popular.
1976: 8th most popular.
1977: 8th most popular.
1978: 9th most popular.
1980-1990: 16th most popular.
1990: 28th most popular.
1991: 31st most popular.
1992: 32nd most popular.
1993: 35th most popular.
1994: 37th most popular.
1995: 36th most popular.
1996: 36th most popular.
1997: 37th most popular.
1998: 41st most popular.
1999: 43rd most popular.
2000: 44th most popular.
2001: 46th most popular.
2002: 51st most popular.
2003: 58th most popular.

In France...
1900-1989: N/A
1990: 189th most popular.
2000: 135th most popular.

In Ireland...
1998: 35th most popular.
1999: 36th most popular.
2000: 36th most popular.
2001: 39th most popular.
2002: 39th most popular.
2003: 40th most popular.