Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Brice

Brice is believed to come from a Gaulish (Celtic) origin meaning “speckled” (presumably in reference to all those freckled-faced Celts out there). Bryce/Brice is also a Welsh patronymic name (i.e., passed from the father), from “ap+Rhys” meaning “son of Rhys, or son of the passionate one”. In Welsh (which is a Celtic language), the “ap” connector means “son of” just as the Ó means the same in Irish surnames, Mac in Scottish-Gaelic and Fitz in Anglo-Norman. Brice became popularized as a masculine name mostly thanks to a 4th century French saint called Brice of Tours. An orphan, Brice was raised by Saint Martin of Tours, but became vain and ambitious, treating his guardian with much contempt. Martin responded with great patience and kindness, and eventually Brice would remorsefully ask for his forgiveness. Brice eventually went on to succeed Martin as Bishop of Tours only to revert back to his old ways: neglecting his duties and behaving immorally to the point where he was ultimately discharged from his post as Bishop. Exiled to Rome, Brice would repent again, but this time, he would completely change his lifestyle. He returned to his old post after seven years in Rome and went on to rule with great humility and holiness. So much so he was venerated as a saint by the time of his death. Due to the significance of St. Brice of Tours in France (as well as many other saints named Brice), the French adopted the name more ardently than the English.

All About the Baby Name – Brice

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME BRICE

The number one personality is a leader - strong and competitive. They are willing to initiate action and take risks. One personalities work hard toward their endeavors and have the ability to apply their creative and innovative thinking skills with strong determination. They believe in their ability to succeed and are too stubborn to be hindered by obstacles. Ones meet obstacles head-on with such mental vigor and energy that you better step aside. They resent taking orders, so don't try telling them what to do either. This is an intensely active personality, but they are also known as starters rather than finishers. They have a propensity to become bored and will move quickly to the next project if not properly challenged.  They are the ones to think up and put into action new and brilliant ideas, but they are not the ones to stick around and manage them. This personality has an enthusiastic and pioneering spirit. They are distinctly original.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME BRICE

Brice has held positions on the American male naming charts since the late 19th century, although it was a name used sparingly. It really wasn’t until the 1960s when Brice finally found a more permanent home in the United States. The Bryce spelling has seen greater success when compared to Brice, but Brice did achieve some level of moderate usage in the late 1980s. Today Brice is residing near the very bottom of the Top 1000 list while Bryce is nearing Top 100 status. Bryce is the spelling that looks more Welsh (thanks to the “y”), while Brice is more common among the French.

Quick Facts

ON BRICE

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Celtic

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

1

RANKING POPULARITY:

847

PRONUNCIATION:

BRYCE

SIMPLE MEANING:

Speckled; Son of Rhys

Characteristics

OF BRICE

Independent

Individualistic

Ambitious

Strong-willed

Inventive

Successful

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Brice

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME BRICE

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

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME BRICE

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Brice


Popular Songs

ON BRICE

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


Famous People

NAMED BRICE

Brice of Tours (Catholic saint)
Brice Marden (minimalist artist)
Brice Blanc (French horse jockey)
Brice Long (country singer)
Brice Guyart (French Olympic fencer)
Brice Hortefeux (French politician)
Brice Lalonde (French politician)

Children of Famous People

NAMED BRICE

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

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME BRICE

Fanny Brice was a hugely popular American comedian, singer and actress who had successful careers in cabaret, theater, film and radio, and was further immortalized by Barbra Streisand’s portrayal of her in the 1964 Broadway musical and the subsequent 1968 film, Funny Girl, (which won Streisand the Best Actress Oscar). Born Fania Borach in New York City of Hungarian Jewish descent, Fanny dropped out of school in 1908 to work in burlesque and, within only two years, had made it into the famed Ziegfeld Follies. Fanny went on to great acclaim and fame over the years, with her inimitable (assumed) Yiddish accent, and perhaps had her biggest success playing the bratty little “Baby Snooks” for almost twenty years on the radio. Married three times and the mother of two, Fanny Brice made “My Man” her signature song (along with “Second Hand Rose), and it inevitably evokes the memory of her second husband, the con-man, Nicky Arnstein. He may have used her and abused her, but, as she sang: “But whatever my man is, I am his - forever." Well, maybe he really did look like Omar Sharif.