Brave
Every Brave since 2008 — 668 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Brave
Brave is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,191 in 2025 with 37 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 2008, 668 American babies have been named Brave — about 76% boys and 24% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2022, when 79 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Brave stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Brave year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #10,238 | 37 | #3,191 |
| 2024 | 10 | #9,671 | 36 | #3,279 |
| 2023 | 16 | #6,985 | 53 | #2,514 |
| 2022 | 25 | #5,192 | 54 | #2,522 |
| 2021 | 16 | #7,014 | 53 | #2,506 |
| 2020 | 21 | #5,697 | 51 | #2,512 |
| 2019 | 19 | #6,213 | 41 | #2,947 |
| 2018 | 14 | #7,827 | 33 | #3,381 |
| 2017 | 7 | #12,945 | 18 | #5,133 |
| 2016 | 5 | #16,676 | 30 | #3,602 |
| 2015 | 18 | #6,766 | 22 | #4,419 |
| 2014 | — | — | 19 | #4,898 |
| 2013 | — | — | 15 | #5,698 |
| 2012 | — | — | 17 | #5,279 |
| 2011 | — | — | 5 | #12,530 |
| 2010 | — | — | 7 | #9,831 |
| 2009 | — | — | 8 | #9,090 |
| 2008 | — | — | 9 | #8,404 |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Brave in 2025?
Brave ranked #3,191 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 37 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Brave?
668 babies have been named Brave in the United States since 2008, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Brave most popular?
Brave peaked in 2022, when 79 newborns received the name.
Is Brave a boy or girl name?
Brave is used for both: about 24% of babies named Brave have been girls and 76% boys.
Is the name Brave rising or falling?
Brave is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.