Brenda
Possibly from Old Norse brandr (“sword”); by folk etymology seen as a feminine form of Brendan.
Every Brenda since 1897 — 610,597 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Brenda
Brenda is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,527 in 2025 with 139 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1897, 610,597 American babies have been named Brenda. Its peak came in 1957, when 24,395 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Brenda stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Brenda 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 | 139 | #1,527 | — | — |
| 2024 | 212 | #1,142 | — | — |
| 2023 | 177 | #1,294 | — | — |
| 2022 | 189 | #1,271 | — | — |
| 2021 | 198 | #1,207 | — | — |
| 2020 | 180 | #1,261 | — | — |
| 2019 | 236 | #1,069 | — | — |
| 2018 | 258 | #1,007 | — | — |
| 2017 | 294 | #911 | — | — |
| 2016 | 340 | #841 | — | — |
| 2015 | 349 | #805 | — | — |
| 2014 | 384 | #730 | — | — |
| 2013 | 439 | #643 | — | — |
| 2012 | 561 | #538 | — | — |
| 2011 | 546 | #532 | — | — |
| 2010 | 735 | #426 | — | — |
| 2009 | 780 | #406 | — | — |
| 2008 | 968 | #343 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,232 | #280 | 5 | #12,614 |
| 2006 | 1,419 | #240 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,661 | #209 | 7 | #9,252 |
| 2004 | 1,660 | #201 | 11 | #6,585 |
| 2003 | 1,443 | #228 | 7 | #8,776 |
| 2002 | 1,550 | #213 | 6 | #9,534 |
| 2001 | 1,737 | #189 | 5 | #10,777 |
| 2000 | 1,898 | #172 | — | — |
| 1995 | 2,610 | #119 | 29 | #2,561 |
| 1990 | 2,633 | #123 | 32 | #2,220 |
| 1985 | 2,385 | #122 | 36 | #1,702 |
| 1980 | 2,648 | #115 | 24 | #2,165 |
| 1975 | 4,236 | #67 | 25 | #1,893 |
| 1970 | 8,336 | #40 | 20 | #1,996 |
| 1965 | 15,060 | #23 | 56 | #986 |
| 1960 | 23,963 | #13 | 63 | #954 |
| 1955 | 19,114 | #18 | 40 | #1,184 |
| 1950 | 20,799 | #14 | 41 | #1,105 |
| 1945 | 9,203 | #29 | 27 | #1,271 |
| 1940 | 5,442 | #42 | 19 | #1,579 |
| 1935 | 132 | #556 | — | — |
| 1930 | 63 | #917 | — | — |
| 1925 | 58 | #977 | — | — |
| 1920 | 32 | #1,411 | — | — |
| 1915 | 20 | #1,686 | — | — |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,792 | — | — |
| 1905 | 8 | #1,435 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Brenda
- Brenda Blethyn Actor · b. 1946
- Brenda Lee Singer · b. 1944
- Brenda Vaccaro Actor · b. 1939
- Brenda Fricker Actor · b. 1945
- Brenda Milner Psychologist · b. 1918
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Brenda mean?
Possibly from Old Norse brandr (“sword”); by folk etymology seen as a feminine form of Brendan.
How popular is the name Brenda in 2025?
Brenda ranked #1,527 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 139 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Brenda?
610,597 babies have been named Brenda in the United States since 1897, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Brenda most popular?
Brenda peaked in 1957, when 24,395 newborns received the name.
Is Brenda a boy or girl name?
Brenda is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Brenda rising or falling?
Brenda is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Brenda?
Well-known people named Brenda include Brenda Blethyn (actor), Brenda Lee (singer), Brenda Vaccaro (actor).