Brad
Brad was the 4267th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 24 babies. Its best year was 1975, when it ranked 98th; the most babies were born in 1960 (2,644). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,523 places. More babies were named Brad in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Meaning short form of Bradley or Bradford; "broad" · Old English, English
Say it BRAD /bræd/
- Rank in 2025
- #4,267 boys, down 1,378 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 24boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19602,644 babies
- Total since 1880
- 83,293babies recorded
What does the name Brad mean?
Brad is a short form of surnames used as first names, chiefly Bradley and Bradford, and is also given in full. Both come from English place-names beginning with Old English brād, "broad": Bradley is "broad wood or clearing" (with lēah) and Bradford is "broad ford". Wikipedia also lists Brady as a source. Brad became an independent name in the 20th century, mostly in North America and Australia.
brād (Old English, “broad”)lēah (Old English, “wood, clearing”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Bradley, Bradford, Brady.
See also: English names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Brad', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Bradley', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Brad (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Brad popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 233 since 1955.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,267 | 24 |
| 2020 | #2,889 | 41 |
| 2010 | #1,415 | 117 |
| 2000 | #632 | 289 |
| 1990 | #363 | 649 |
| 1980 | #116 | 2,371 |
| 1970 | #139 | 2,327 |
| 1960 | #134 | 2,644 |
| 1950 | #320 | 460 |
| 1940 | #1,211 | 31 |
| 1930 | #3,054 | 8 |
| 1920 | #2,621 | 11 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | #929 | 5 |
How popular is Brad, counting every spelling?
Brad has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Brad?
24 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Brad (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Brad born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 347 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Brad.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Brad?
About 69,400 people born in the US named Brad are alive today, with a median age of 53; half are between 45 and 63. That makes Brad mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Brad by state
How common Brad was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 49 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Brad: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Brad, they share its era and feel.
Brad is also a nickname for Bradley and Bradford.
Questions about the name Brad
What does Brad mean?
Brad means “short form of Bradley or Bradford; "broad"” (Old English, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Brad?
Brad was the 4267th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 24 babies. Its best year was 1975, when it ranked 98th; the most babies were born in 1960 (2,644). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,523 places. More babies were named Brad in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Is Brad a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Brad in the US.
Where is Brad most popular?
In 2021–2025, Brad was most common in Florida (0.01 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and Texas.