UK boy's name
Bran
Meaning "raven" from the Welsh name Bran the Blessed.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Bran is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Bran popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 11 births.
This profile covers 83 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2001 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 27% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 82 living people in the UK are called Bran. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Bran ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 11 boys were registered as Bran.
- • About 82 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bran as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2015
11 births
Estimated living
82
2026
Meaning
What does Bran mean?
The given name Bran has its origins in ancient Celtic cultures, deriving from the Old Celtic word "brenhin" or "bran," meaning "raven" or "crow." The name was particularly prominent among the Welsh, Irish, and Breton peoples.
In Welsh mythology, Bran the Blessed, also known as Bendigeidfran, was a prominent figure. He was a legendary giant and king of Britain who features prominently in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh tales. Bran's name is often associated with the idea of protection and strength.
The earliest recorded example of the name Bran can be traced back to the 6th century AD, when it was mentioned in the Annales Cambriae, a medieval chronicle of Welsh history. Bran ap Llyr, a legendary Welsh figure, was also a prominent bearer of the name during this period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Bran. One of the most famous was Bran Mac Febail (c. 628 - 601 BC), an Irish king who ruled over the province of Leinster and is mentioned in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology.
Another notable bearer of the name was Bran Ardchenn (c. 360 - 390 AD), a legendary Welsh king who is mentioned in the Trioedd Ynys Prydein, a collection of Welsh triads.
In the 7th century, Bran Fendigaid (c. 628 - 654 AD) was a prince of Gwynedd, a Welsh kingdom, and is remembered for his role in the Battle of Winwaed against the Mercians.
During the Middle Ages, the name Bran was also used by Bran Mor (c. 1100 - 1176), a Welsh prince and the founder of the House of Mathrafal, a prominent Welsh dynasty.
In more recent times, the name Bran gained prominence through Bran Davies (1859 - 1904), a Welsh composer and musician who was instrumental in preserving and promoting traditional Welsh music and culture.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Bran over time
The chart below shows babies named Bran registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Bran, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bran by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bran 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 | #4120 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | #2726 | 60 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3794 | 15 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Bran
- 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
Bran: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bran in the UK right now?
In 2022, Bran was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Bran most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 11 babies registered as Bran in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bran?
Meaning "raven" from the Welsh name Bran the Blessed.
How many people are called Bran in the UK?
A total of 83 babies have been registered as Bran across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.