Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Brent

Brent is the transferred use of an English surname which originated as a place name. Brent Hill is the location of an ancient hill-fort in Devon, England and Brent Knoll is a prominent hill in Somerset, England. Not surprisingly the name Brent ultimately comes from a Celtic word meaning “hill”. The surname Brent may also be derived from the Olde English word “beornan” (meaning “to burn”) to identify a person who resided near burnt land. Apparently the byname Brent (“the burnt”) was used in the Middle Ages to signify a criminal branded for his misdeeds and transgressions. In this case, Brent could have developed from a not-so-savory nickname. In medieval times when surnames were becoming a de facto appendage to given names, people who hailed from villages near these places were given the surname Brent (as a way of indentifying them). Brent turned into a given name mainly in the United States around the 1930s but today it’s ranked highest in the Netherlands.

All About the Baby Name – Brent

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME BRENT

The number Five personality loves the excitement of life and can easily adapt to all situations. As natural adventurers, these personalities thrive on the new and unexpected and prefer to be in constant motion. It makes them feel alive. They'll stir up some action if there's not enough around, and as inherent risk-takers they enjoy pushing the envelope. Naturally rebellious, the Five personality has no fear and never resists change.  Traveling and new experiences feed their souls. Fives are very social and attract friends with ease. People love to be around the Five fun-loving and exciting energy.  This is also a lucky number in numerology (like the Threes), so fortune seems to shine on them, helped along by their own optimism and good-nature. Fives have a quick wit, a cerebral mind, and are generally very persuasive. 

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME BRENT

For the most part Brent first appeared as a masculine given name on the American charts in 1933. It jumped pretty quickly to moderate levels of success, but it wasn’t until 1969 that Brent finally landed a spot on the Top 100 list of most favorite boy’s names. The height of his popularity was mainly during the 1970s and 80s when he managed to cling to the Top 100. Brent lost his footing in 1987 when he disappeared from the Top 100 and he’s been rolling down the “hill” ever since. The early 1970s marked a time when parents found strong, one-syllable masculine names appealing for their baby boys. This was the time of Scott, Mark, Chad, Todd, Keith, Brett and Troy. Today’s style of boy names is more about the two-syllables (Jacob, Mason, Jayden, Noah, Ethan and the like). So Brent has seen his heyday come and go. Yet there’s something to be said about these no-nonsense forceful one-syllable names like Brent, Scott or Mark. They are just so confidently cool without having to try so hard. And given Brent’s potential “criminal” past, there’s something a little brazen about this name in particular.

Quick Facts

ON BRENT

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Celtic

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

1

RANKING POPULARITY:

783

PRONUNCIATION:

BRENT

SIMPLE MEANING:

Hill

Characteristics

OF BRENT

Freedom-loving

Adventurous

Adaptable

Intellectual

Easygoing

Progressive

Sensual

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Brent

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME BRENT

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

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME BRENT

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Brent


Popular Songs

ON BRENT

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Brent


Famous People

NAMED BRENT

Brent Mydland (musician/former member of The Grateful Dead)
Brent Woody Musburger (sportscaster)
Brent Ward Jett, Jr. (astronaut)
Brent Mason (country music artist)
Brent Spiner (actor)

Children of Famous People

NAMED BRENT

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Brent

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME BRENT

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