Brian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brian
18th-century depiction of Brian Boru
Pronunciation	/ˈbraɪ.ən/
Gender	Male
Origin
Word/Name	Irish; Breton
Meaning	possibly "high" or "noble"
Place of origin	Ireland; Brittany
Other names
Related names	Breanna, Breanne, Brianna, Brianne, Brien, Brion, Brina, Bryan, Bryant

Brian is a popular boy's name. It comes from Ireland and a region in France called Brittany. Sometimes, you might see it spelled Bryan.

The name Brian might come from an old Celtic word. This word could mean "high" or "noble." It's like saying someone is important or respected. The name became very popular in Ireland because of Brian Boru. He was a powerful king in Ireland about a thousand years ago.

The name also became well-known in England. This happened after the Norman Conquest when people from Brittany moved there. Later, people from Ireland also brought the name to parts of England.

Brian was a very popular name in England and Wales in the 1930s. It was the fourth most popular boy's name then. In the United States, it was very popular from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. It was often in the top ten names. Since the 1990s, it has also become more popular in countries like Argentina and Uruguay in South America.

The name Brian can also be a surname (a family name). Sometimes, it's a different spelling of the surname Bryan.

Other versions of the name include Briant, Brien, Bran, Brion, Bryan, Bryant, and Bryon. Some of these, like "Brien," are sometimes used as girl's names.

Famous People Named Brian

Many famous people have the name Brian. They are known for different things, like sports, acting, or music.

Single Names

• Brian (dog), a brave dog who helped the British Army in World War II.
• Brian (mythology), a character from old Celtic stories.
• Brian, a friendly snail character from the children's TV show The Magic Roundabout.

Family Names

• Denis Brian (1923–2017), a British journalist and writer.
• Donald Brian (1877–1948), a Canadian-American actor, dancer, and singer.
• Havergal Brian (1876–1972), a British composer of classical music.
• Mary Brian (1906–2002), a famous American actress and movie star.
• Morgan Brian (born 1993), an American women's soccer player.

Common Name Combinations

Individuals Named Brian

• Brian Ah Yat (born 1975), an American football player.
• Brian Alderson (1950–1997), a Scottish footballer.
• Brian Aldiss (1925–2017), a British author.
• Brian Asamoah (born 2000), an American football player.
• Brian Asawa (1966–2016), a Japanese American opera singer.
• Brian Azzarello (born 1962), an American comic book writer.
• Brian Bannister (born 1981), an American baseball player and coach.
• Brian Barrett (born 1966), a New Zealand former cricketer.
• Brian Bailey (born 19??), a Canadian fashion designer.
• Brian Bass (born 1982), an American former professional baseball player.
• B. Brian Blair (born 1957), an American retired professional wrestler.
• Brian Blessed (born 1937), an English actor.
• Brian Boitano (born 1963), an American figure skater.
• Brian Bollinger (born 1968), an American football player.
• Brian Bonsall (born 1981), an American rock musician and former child actor.
• Brian Boobbyer (1928–2011), an English rugby union player.
• Brian Boru (941–1014), a famous Irish king.
• Brian Bosworth (born 1965), an American former football player and actor.
• Brian Branch (born 2001), an American football player.
• Brian Brikowski (born 1989), an American football player.
• Brian Broomell (born 1958), an American football player.
• Brian Burrows (born 1988), an American sport shooter.
• Brian Clough (1935–2004), a British football manager.
• Brian Cornell, an American businessman.
• Brian Cowen (born 1960), a former Prime Minister of Ireland.
• Brian Christopher (1972–2018), an American professional wrestler.
• Brian Christopher (lacrosse) (born 1987), an American lacrosse player.
• Brian de la Puente (born 1985), an American football player.
• Brian Dabul (born 1984), an Argentinian tennis player.
• Brian De Palma (born 1940), an American film director.
• Brian Delate (born 1949), an American actor.
• Brian Dennehy (1938–2020), an American actor.
• Brian Dietzen (born 1977), an American actor.
• Brian Dowling (born 1978), an Irish television presenter.
• Brian Eno (born 1948), an English electronic musician and producer.
• Brian Enos, an American sport shooter.
• Brian Epstein (1934–1967), the English business manager of The Beatles.
• Brian Folkerts (born 1990), an American football player.
• Brian Friedman (born 1977), an American dancer and choreographer.
• Brian Gaine, an American football executive.
• Brian Gill, Lord Gill, a Scottish judge.
• Brian Ginsberg (born 1966), an American former gymnast.
• Brian Gottfried (born 1952), an American tennis player.
• Brian Gowins (born 1976), an American football player.
• Brian Graden (born 1963), an American television executive.
• Brian Grazer (born 1951), an American Oscar-winning film producer.
• Brian Gutekunst (born 1973), an American football executive.
• Brian Haley (born 1961), an American actor and comedian.
• Brian Heidik (born 1968), an American actor and TV personality.
• Brian Herbert (born 1947), an American author.
• Brian Horwitz (born 1982), an American major league baseball player.
• Brian Hutton, Baron Hutton (1932–2020), a British judge.
• Brian Jeffriess, a spokesperson for Australia's tuna fishing industry.
• Brian Joo (born 1981), an American-born Korean singer.
• Brian Jossie (born 1977), an American professional wrestler.
• Brian Joubert (born 1984), a French figure skater and World Champion.
• Brian Kendrick (born 1979), an American professional wrestler.
• Brian Kerwin (born 1949), an American actor.
• Brian Knobbs (born 1964), an American professional wrestler.
• Brian Lara (born 1969), a former West Indian cricketer.
• Brian Laudrup (born 1969), a former Danish international soccer player.
• Brian Lewerke (born 1996), an American football player.
• Brian Limond (born 1974), a Scottish comedian.
• Brian Littrell (born 1975), a member of the boy band, The Backstreet Boys.
• Brian Maher, an American politician.
• Brian May (born 1947), the guitarist and songwriter for the band Queen.
• Brian McConaghy (born 1950), a Canadian forensic scientist.
• Brian McKnight (born 1969), an American singer-songwriter.
• Brian Milligan (born 1982/1983), a Northern Irish actor.
• Brian Molko (born 1972), the lead singer of the band Placebo.
• Brian Moorman (born 1976), an American football player.
• Brian Mulroney (born 1939), a former Canadian prime minister.
• Brian Doyle-Murray (born 1945), an American actor.
• Brian Murray (actor) (1937–2018), a South African actor.
• Brian Mustanski, an American psychologist.
• Brian O'Driscoll (born 1979), an Irish rugby player.
• Brian O'Keefe (born 1956), an Australian rules footballer.
• Brian O'Keefe (baseball), an American baseball player.
• Brian O'Keeffe, an Irish hurler.
• Brian Orser (born 1961), a Canadian figure skater.
• Brian Paddick (born 1958), a British politician.
• Brian Peaker (born 1959), a Canadian rower.
• Brian Peets (born 1956), an American football player.
• Brian Percival, a British film director.
• Brian Piccolo (1943–1970), an American football player. His story was told in the TV movie Brian's Song.
• Brian Pillman (1962–1997), an American professional wrestler and football player.
• Brian Pillman Jr. (born 1993), an American professional wrestler.
• Brian Quinn (economist) (born 1936), a Scottish economist.
• Brian Quinn (soccer) (born 1960), a Northern Irish-American soccer coach.
• Brian Randle, an American basketball player.
• Brian Ransom (gridiron football) (born 1960), an American football player.
• Brian Retterer (born 1972), an American swimmer.
• Brian Ross (journalist) (born 1948), an American investigative journalist.
• Brian Savoy (born 1992), a Swiss basketball player.
• Brian Schneider (born 1976), an American baseball player.
• Brian Serven (born 1995), an American baseball player.
• Brian Sims (born 1978), an American politician.
• Brian Skala (born 1981), an American actor.
• Brian Snitker (born 1955), an American baseball coach.
• Brian Stelter (born 1985), an American journalist.
• Brian Stephney (born 1983), a Montserratian cricketer.
• Brian Sweeney (born 1974), an American baseball player and coach.
• Brian Sweeney (sailor), a Canadian sailor.
• Brian Teacher (born 1952), an American tennis player.
• Brian Tochi, an American actor.
• Brian Tucker (screenwriter), an American film screenwriter.
• Brian Tyler (born 1972), an American composer and musician.
• Brian Urlacher (born 1978), an American football player.
• Brian Viloria (born 1980), an American boxer.
• Brian Westbrook (born 1979), an American football player.
• Brian Williamson (1945–2004), a Jamaican activist.

Fictional Characters Named Brian

• Brian, a character in the American TV miniseries V (1983).
• Brian Doheny, the main character in Video Game High School.
• Brian Griffin from Family Guy, a talking dog.
• Brian Kinney from Queer as Folk.
• Brian O'Conner in The Fast and the Furious series.
• Brian Cohen, the main character in Monty Python's Life of Brian.
• Brian Green, from the British TV show Torchwood.
• Brian Johnson, a main character in the 1985 film The Breakfast Club.

Movies and TV Shows with "Brian" in the Title

• Brian's Song (1971, 2001) – a movie about a football player.
• Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) – a comedy film.
• What About Brian (2006) – an American TV series.
• Burying Brian (2008) – a New Zealand TV mini-series.

See also

In Spanish: Brian (nombre) para niños

• Brian (disambiguation)
• Brien
• Bryan (given name)
• Bryan (surname)
• Brayan, a masculine given name
• List of Irish-language given names
• O'Brian, surname
• O'Brien (surname)