Bright
Every Bright since 1917 — 449 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bright
Bright is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,884 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1917, 449 American babies have been named Bright — about 90% boys and 10% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2019, when 29 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Bright stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bright 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 | 7 | #12,136 | 20 | #4,884 |
| 2024 | — | — | 27 | #4,000 |
| 2023 | — | — | 24 | #4,362 |
| 2022 | 7 | #12,475 | 18 | #5,245 |
| 2021 | 9 | #10,436 | 18 | #5,144 |
| 2020 | 5 | #15,530 | 24 | #4,158 |
| 2019 | 5 | #15,962 | 24 | #4,242 |
| 2018 | 5 | #16,117 | 22 | #4,497 |
| 2017 | — | — | 25 | #4,120 |
| 2016 | — | — | 8 | #8,961 |
| 2015 | — | — | 10 | #7,571 |
| 2014 | — | — | 20 | #4,720 |
| 2013 | — | — | 8 | #8,918 |
| 2012 | — | — | 11 | #7,135 |
| 2011 | 5 | #17,222 | 13 | #6,304 |
| 2010 | — | — | 15 | #5,775 |
| 2009 | — | — | 8 | #9,097 |
| 2008 | — | — | 11 | #7,265 |
| 2007 | — | — | 8 | #9,033 |
| 2006 | — | — | 7 | #9,713 |
| 2005 | — | — | 10 | #7,188 |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | 8 | #7,945 |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | 7 | #8,442 |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | 7 | #7,083 |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | 5 | #4,374 |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Bright in 2025?
Bright ranked #4,884 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 Bright?
449 babies have been named Bright in the United States since 1917, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bright most popular?
Bright peaked in 2019, when 29 newborns received the name.
Is Bright a boy or girl name?
Bright is used for both: about 10% of babies named Bright have been girls and 90% boys.
Is the name Bright rising or falling?
Bright is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.