Bret
A male given name transferred from the surname, variant of Brett, ultimately meaning "a Breton".
Every Bret since 1926 — 30,051 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bret
Bret is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,883 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1926, 30,051 American babies have been named Bret. Its peak came in 1959, when 1,839 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 Bret stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bret 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 | — | — | 20 | #4,883 |
| 2024 | — | — | 21 | #4,726 |
| 2023 | — | — | 27 | #4,017 |
| 2022 | — | — | 23 | #4,456 |
| 2021 | — | — | 22 | #4,513 |
| 2020 | — | — | 17 | #5,275 |
| 2019 | — | — | 21 | #4,660 |
| 2018 | — | — | 34 | #3,307 |
| 2017 | — | — | 23 | #4,345 |
| 2016 | — | — | 33 | #3,369 |
| 2015 | — | — | 33 | #3,378 |
| 2014 | — | — | 45 | #2,669 |
| 2013 | — | — | 39 | #2,898 |
| 2012 | — | — | 42 | #2,820 |
| 2011 | 6 | #15,161 | 72 | #1,931 |
| 2010 | — | — | 89 | #1,716 |
| 2009 | — | — | 96 | #1,641 |
| 2008 | — | — | 123 | #1,380 |
| 2007 | 7 | #14,172 | 109 | #1,465 |
| 2006 | — | — | 99 | #1,519 |
| 2005 | 7 | #13,240 | 151 | #1,094 |
| 2004 | — | — | 160 | #1,022 |
| 2003 | — | — | 171 | #956 |
| 2002 | 7 | #12,408 | 189 | #869 |
| 2001 | — | — | 246 | #714 |
| 2000 | 8 | #10,884 | 274 | #657 |
| 1995 | 14 | #6,301 | 388 | #519 |
| 1990 | 5 | #13,233 | 546 | #418 |
| 1985 | 11 | #6,069 | 502 | #365 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10,570 | 410 | #400 |
| 1975 | — | — | 462 | #359 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,435 | 871 | #260 |
| 1965 | — | — | 743 | #274 |
| 1960 | — | — | 1,242 | #223 |
| 1955 | — | — | 91 | #763 |
| 1950 | — | — | 34 | #1,233 |
| 1945 | — | — | 10 | #2,266 |
| 1940 | — | — | 10 | #2,343 |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Bret
- Bret Hart Wrestler · b. 1957
- Bret Harte Writer · 1836–1902
- Bret Easton Ellis Writer · b. 1964
- Bret Michaels Musician · b. 1963
- Bret Harrison Actor · b. 1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bret mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname, variant of Brett, ultimately meaning "a Breton".
How popular is the name Bret in 2025?
Bret ranked #4,883 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bret?
30,051 babies have been named Bret in the United States since 1926, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bret most popular?
Bret peaked in 1959, when 1,839 newborns received the name.
Is Bret a boy or girl name?
Bret is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bret rising or falling?
Bret is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bret?
Well-known people named Bret include Bret Hart (wrestler), Bret Harte (writer), Bret Easton Ellis (writer).