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Brianna


Gender: Feminine
Language
: English

Etymology:
Brianna is the modern English feminine form of Brian, the English form of an Old Irish name. It originally meant “High Hill.”

History:
Brianna is a modern feminization to the Gaelic name Brian (using the English and Latin “a” feminine ending, rather than the Gaelic “ag” feminine ending).
It was first coined, probably, in the 19th century, constructed along the lines of Edwina, Alberta, Malcomina, etc. It continued as a rare name until the 1970s, when it suddenly shot up the charts. Initially, the variant B-r-i-a-n-a was more popular than the double N version.

The Irish, masculine name Brian had become common in the 1940s and popular by the 1960s. The name Brianna may also have benefited by piggybacking onto the late 20th century craze for “anna” names.

Pronunciation: BREE-ann-ah.

Alternates: Brea, Breana, Breann, Breanna, Breanne, Bree, Breeana, Breeanna, Breen, Breena, Breiana, Brenna, Brennah, Breyana, Bria, Briahna, Briane, Briann, Briana, Briannah, Brianne, Briannon, Brieana, Brieanna, Brielle, Brienn, Brienna, Brienne, Brina, Bryana, Bryann, Bryanna, Bryanne, Bryna.
Breton: Briaca, Briaga.

Masculine: Brian.


Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.014 % named Brianna
0.010 % named Briana
0.007 % named Brianne
0.006 % named Breanna
0.005 % named Brenna
0.003 % named Breanne
0.003 % named Bree
0.001 % named Breann
0.001 % named Breana
0.001 % named Bryanna

Popularity of Brianna:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1975: N/A
1976: 932nd most popular.
1977: 699th most popular.
1978: 579th most popular.
1979: 327th most popular.
1980: 342nd most popular.
1981: 323rd most popular.
1982: 274th most popular.
1983: 253rd most popular.
1984: 197th most popular.
1985: 190th most popular.
1986: 154th most popular.
1987: 121st most popular.
1988: 96th most popular.
1989: 77th most popular.
1990: 63rd most popular.
1991: 51st most popular.
1992: 44th most popular.
1993: 33rd most popular.
1994: 28th most popular.
1995: 21st most popular.
1996: 20th most popular.
1997: 18th most popular.
1998: 17th most popular.
1999: 14th most popular. - Peak!
2000: 15th most popular.

2001: 18th most popular.
2002: 17th most popular.
2003: 17th most popular.
2004: 17th most popular.

Popularity of Brenna:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1970: N/A
1971: 946th most popular.
1972: N/A
1973: 914th most popular.
1974: 805th most popular.
1975: 755th most popular.
1976: 776th most popular.
1977: 812th most popular.
1978: 736th most popular.
1979: 762nd most popular.
1980: 612th most popular.
1981: 560th most popular.
1982: 579th most popular.
1983: 519th most popular.
1984: 489th most popular.
1985: 467th most popular.
1986: 487th most popular.
1987: 449th most popular.
1988: 432nd most popular.
1989: 440th most popular.
1990: 439th most popular.
1991: 410th most popular.
1992: 379th most popular.
1993: 362nd most popular.
1994: 290th most popular.
1995: 241st most popular.
1996: 253rd most popular.
1997: 291st most popular.
1998: 286th most popular.
1999: 300th most popular.
2000: 309th most popular.
2001: 322nd most popular.
2002: 329th most popular.
2003: 301st most popular.
2004: 329th most popular.

Popularity of Breana:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1987: N/A
1988: 886th most popular.
1989: 694th most popular.
1990: 577th most popular.
1991: 493rd most popular.
1992: 462nd most popular.
1993: 419th most popular.
1994: 388th most popular.
1995: 412th most popular.
1996: 389th most popular.
1997: 425th most popular.
1998: 449th most popular.
1999: 471st most popular.
2000: 539th most popular.
2001: 624th most popular.
2002: 622nd most popular.
2003: 691st most popular.
2004: 716th most popular.

Popularity of Bryanna:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1988: N/A
1989: 848th most popular.
1990: 666th most popular.
1991: 592nd most popular.
1992: 501st most popular.
1993: 483rd most popular.
1994: 399th most popular.
1995: 387th most popular.
1996: 368th most popular.
1997: 332nd most popular.
1998: 304th most popular.
1999: 304th most popular.
2000: 333rd most popular.
2001: 317th most popular.
2002: 312th most popular.
2003: 320th most popular.
2004: 394th most popular.

Popularity of Bryana:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1992: N/A
1993: 855th most popular.
1994: 834th most popular.
1995: 816th most popular.
1996: 806th most popular.
1997: 747th most popular.
1998: 840th most popular.
1999: 861st most popular.
2000: 916th most popular.
2001: 914th most popular.
2002: 848th most popular.
2003: 969th most popular.
2004: N/A



Selected Sources:
The Academy of St. Gabriel
(www.s-gabriel.org) - For information on medieval names.

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)



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