Brent
English surname from placenames in Devon and Somerset, from Old English brant (“steep”), referring to hills.
Every Brent since 1885 — 140,366 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Brent
Brent is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,509 in 2025 with 116 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1885, 140,366 American babies have been named Brent. Its peak came in 1970, when 4,300 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Brent stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Brent 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 | — | — | 116 | #1,509 |
| 2024 | — | — | 102 | #1,651 |
| 2023 | — | — | 125 | #1,450 |
| 2022 | — | — | 138 | #1,354 |
| 2021 | — | — | 154 | #1,240 |
| 2020 | — | — | 145 | #1,265 |
| 2019 | — | — | 182 | #1,094 |
| 2018 | — | — | 163 | #1,175 |
| 2017 | — | — | 201 | #1,007 |
| 2016 | — | — | 211 | #973 |
| 2015 | — | — | 254 | #875 |
| 2014 | — | — | 263 | #850 |
| 2013 | — | — | 289 | #777 |
| 2012 | — | — | 318 | #731 |
| 2011 | — | — | 287 | #782 |
| 2010 | — | — | 368 | #655 |
| 2009 | — | — | 399 | #628 |
| 2008 | — | — | 471 | #559 |
| 2007 | — | — | 522 | #506 |
| 2006 | — | — | 544 | #485 |
| 2005 | — | — | 562 | #454 |
| 2004 | — | — | 646 | #405 |
| 2003 | — | — | 685 | #382 |
| 2002 | — | — | 727 | #362 |
| 2001 | — | — | 847 | #330 |
| 2000 | — | — | 900 | #319 |
| 1995 | — | — | 1,586 | #194 |
| 1990 | 10 | #7,951 | 2,608 | #127 |
| 1985 | 24 | #3,524 | 3,321 | #89 |
| 1980 | 26 | #3,224 | 3,537 | #84 |
| 1975 | 17 | #3,788 | 3,364 | #79 |
| 1970 | 31 | #2,399 | 4,269 | #74 |
| 1965 | 8 | #4,872 | 2,408 | #131 |
| 1960 | 9 | #4,477 | 2,261 | #154 |
| 1955 | — | — | 1,382 | #193 |
| 1950 | 6 | #4,788 | 908 | #212 |
| 1945 | — | — | 269 | #362 |
| 1940 | — | — | 288 | #336 |
| 1935 | — | — | 51 | #884 |
| 1930 | — | — | 29 | #1,337 |
| 1925 | — | — | 19 | #1,814 |
| 1920 | — | — | 22 | #1,648 |
| 1915 | — | — | 17 | #1,715 |
| 1910 | — | — | 5 | #1,620 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #955 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Brent
- Brent Spiner Actor · b. 1949
- Brent Scowcroft Politician · 1925–2020
- Brent Briscoe Actor · 1961–2017
- Brent Barry Basketball player · b. 1971
- Brent W. Jett Jr. Astronaut · b. 1958
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Brent mean?
English surname from placenames in Devon and Somerset, from Old English brant (“steep”), referring to hills.
How popular is the name Brent in 2025?
Brent ranked #1,509 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 116 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Brent?
140,366 babies have been named Brent in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Brent most popular?
Brent peaked in 1970, when 4,300 newborns received the name.
Is Brent a boy or girl name?
Brent is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Brent rising or falling?
Brent is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Brent?
Well-known people named Brent include Brent Spiner (actor), Brent Scowcroft (politician), Brent Briscoe (actor).