UK name, mostly boys
Brady
Celtic name meaning "broad meadow" or "broad flat valley".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Brady is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Brady popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #826, with 39 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 57 births.
This profile covers 811 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 68% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 923 living people in the UK are called Brady. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Brady ranked #826 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 39 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 57 boys were registered as Brady.
- • Brady ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #341 in 2006.
- • About 923 living people in the UK are estimated to have Brady as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 97.8% of Brady registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#826
2024
Births in 2024
39
Latest year
Peak year
2004
57 births
Estimated living
923
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Brady
In England and Wales birth records, Brady has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 97.8% of registrations are for boys and 2.2% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Brady registered for boys
- Ranked #826 in 2024
- 39 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2004 (57 births)
Brady registered for girls
- Ranked #3,725 in 2004
- 4 girls registered in 2004
- Peak: 1996 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Brady mean?
The name Brady has its origins in the Irish Gaelic language and culture. It is thought to be derived from the Old Irish word "bráth" or "bráid," meaning "battle" or "strife." The name likely emerged during the early medieval period in Ireland, between the 5th and 8th centuries AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brady appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The Annals mention a man named "Máel Brigte hua Bráduighe" who died in the year 1022 AD. This name translates to "Máel Brigte grandson of Brady."
In ancient Irish mythology, there is a figure named Bráde, who is described as a warrior and chieftain. This character appears in the Ulster Cycle of myths and may have influenced the development of the name Brady.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Brady. One of the earliest was Brady O'Donnell, an Irish chieftain who lived in the late 16th century. He led the O'Donnell clan and fought against English forces during the Nine Years' War in Ireland.
Another famous bearer of the name was Matthew Brady (1823-1896), an American photographer renowned for his documentation of the American Civil War. His photographs provided a visual record of the conflict and its impact on the nation.
In the field of science, Samuel Brady (1756-1795) was an American frontiersman and Revolutionary War soldier known for his exploits in the Ohio Country during the late 18th century. He was celebrated for his bravery and survival skills in the wilderness.
Sir Nicholas Brady (1659-1726) was an English politician and banker who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1720. He played a significant role in the financial affairs of the city during the early 18th century.
Finally, Mathew B. Brady (1823-1896) was a renowned American photographer best known for his documentation of the American Civil War. His photographs provided a visual record of the conflict and its impact on the nation, and he is considered one of the most influential photographers in American history.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Brady, a name with deep roots in Irish Gaelic culture and language, reflecting a connection to battle, strife, and warrior traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Brady over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Brady in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Brady, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 39 births in 2024, compared with 57 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Brady by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Brady was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #977 | 153 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1148 | 239 | 10 |
| 2000s | #764 | 318 | 10 |
| 1990s | #676 | 101 | 4 |
Geography
Where Brady is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Brady. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Brady ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #341 in 2006.
Across the UK
Brady in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#352 in 2024
20 years of NRS records, 108 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#341 in 2006
3 years of NISRA records, 11 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Brady
-
Brady Haran
podcaster; television producer; film director; YouTuber; video journalist; journalist
Australian video journalist
1976-
Related
Names similar to Brady
- Benjamin 90,412
- Ben 36,356
- Bradley 30,230
- Brandon 26,411
- Billy 18,608
- Bobby 16,904
- Blake 16,337
- Bailey 16,014
- Brody 7,230
- Beau 6,722
- Barnaby 5,284
- Brodie 4,801
FAQ
Brady: questions and answers
How popular is the name Brady in the UK right now?
In 2024, Brady was ranked #826 for boys in England and Wales, with 39 births registered.
When was Brady most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 57 babies registered as Brady in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Brady?
Celtic name meaning "broad meadow" or "broad flat valley".
How many people are called Brady in the UK?
A total of 811 babies have been registered as Brady across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 108 more in Scotland and 11 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Brady most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Brady ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #341 in 2006. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.