Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Brendan

Brendan originated from the Irish name Breandán (earlier version: Bréanainn) which originated from the Welsh word “breehin” meaning ‘prince’. There are two prominent Irish saints who held this name. The most famous is the 6th century Saint Brendan the Navigator who was believed to have sailed across the Atlantic searching for the Isle of the Blessed and claiming to have set foot on American soil. His friend and contemporary, Saint Brendan of Birr, was purportedly carried heavenward by angels.

All About the Baby Name – Brendan

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME BRENDAN

The number Four personality is marked by stability and discipline. This is the personality that follows the rules and is conservative by nature.  They have an earth-bound energy that prefers to build things methodically on top of firm foundations; they don't cut corners. Fours take their time and don't like to be hurried. But the outcome of their endeavors is likely to result in some strong and useful structure, which makes them great engineers and inventors. Fours are anything but frivolous or controversial. This is a trustworthy, straight-forward personality that embodies dedication and organization. They are the backbone and anchor in their relationships, careers and communities. They are tidy, punctual, and full of integrity. Hard-work comes naturally to a Four and they are immensely reliable. This is the personality you can always count on.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME BRENDAN

Brendan first appeared on the U.S. popularity charts in 1941. By the 1950s, Brendan was on an upward trajectory. The height of the name’s popularity came in the 1990s when, for two brief years, it managed to edge onto the Top 100 list of most favored boy names. As we’ve entered the 21st century, however, Brendan appears to be losing steam. The name fell off the Top 200 list in 2007 and now only enjoys moderate usage. Brendan is a popular name for Irish-American baby boys so we weren’t surprised to see it ranked relatively high in the state of Massachusetts (the state with the highest density of Americans of Irish descent). The only negative we see today is the over-abundance of similar sounding boy names (Brayden, Branden, Brennen). It’s hard to know where they start and where they end so they’re starting to feel, well, ordinary. Brendan is definitely the classical anglicized spelling of the name so you won’t get “spell-checked” in your word document. It’s a great choice for your little Irish “prince”.

Quick Facts

ON BRENDAN

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Irish

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

326

PRONUNCIATION:

BREN-dәn

SIMPLE MEANING:

Prince

Characteristics

OF BRENDAN

Dependable

Solid

Practical

Hard-working

Industrious

Studious

Conservative

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Brendan

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME BRENDAN

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Brendan

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME BRENDAN

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Brendan


Popular Songs

ON BRENDAN

Brendan #1
a song by Fugazi

Famous People

NAMED BRENDAN

Saint Brendan of Clonfert (Irish saint)
Saint Brendan of Birr (Irish saint)
Brendan Behan (Irish writer)
Brendan Benson (musician)
Brendan Donnelly (baseball player)
Brendan Fraser (actor)
Brendan Harris (baseball player)
Brendan Haywood (basketball player)
Brendan Morrison (hockey player)
Brendan Shanahan (hockey player)

Children of Famous People

NAMED BRENDAN

Mark Whalberg;

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME BRENDAN

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Brendan