What does Brenda mean?

Old English: sword; Welsh: princess

Is Brenda a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Brenda is commonly used as a Girl name.

How popular is Brenda?

It’s currently ranked #738 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

How do you pronounce Brenda?

BREN-duh · IPA: //ˈbrɛndə//

Brenda Boy

Popularity: — · Trend: → Stable

Origin(s)

PronunciationBRAN-duh / ˈbrɛndə

Old English; Welsh

Meaning

Old English: sword; Welsh: prince

Historical & Cultural Background

Brenda is derived from the Old English word 'brand,' meaning sword. It has also been associated with the Welsh name 'Brend,' which means prince. The name gained popularity in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries. It is often considered a feminine name, though it can be used for boys as well. The name has seen various cultural representations in literature and media.

Trend Summary

Brenda has seen a decline in popularity for boys in recent decades.

Variants

Brend
Brenda

International Variants

Brenda (Spanish)
Brenda (Portuguese)

Famous people named Brenda

—

Fictional characters named Brenda

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Sibling Suggestions

Brandon Brennan Brett Brock Bryce

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Brenda was first seen in the United States in 1939. Brenda has ranked as high as #1071 nationally, which occurred in 1961, and has been most popular in California, New York, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia. In the past 5 years the name Brenda has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Brenda (1996)

Year:

State	Births	Share
CA	5	100%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1939	19
1940	19
1941	32
1942	28
1943	22
1944	28
1945	27
1946	34
1947	37
1948	39
1949	43
1950	41
1951	44
1952	44
1953	49
1954	39
1955	40
1956	37
1957	56
1958	45
1959	53
1960	63
1961	72
1962	65
1963	53
1964	46
1965	56
1966	42
1967	38
1968	41
1969	35
1970	20
1971	28
1972	26
1973	21
1974	17
1975	25
1976	17
1977	17
1978	14
1979	22
1980	24
1981	30
1982	25
1983	30
1984	31
1985	36
1986	50
1987	46
1988	42
1989	44
1990	32
1991	44
1992	28
1993	35
1994	28
1995	29
1996	11
1997	11
1998	9
2001	5
2002	6
2003	7
2004	11
2005	7
2007	5