Pronunciation
Bry-an
Meaning
Often associated with height, strength or power
Alternate spellings
Bryan
Fun fact
This name has a connection: Brian Boru, the Irish king associated with the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. His fame helped keep Brian in use among Irish families for centuries!
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Brian, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#252Rank among boy names in 202518Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | #252 |
| 2024 | 26 | #187 |
| 2023 | 26 | #193 |
| 2022 | 27 | #192 |
| 2021 | 30 | #178 |
| 2020 | 24 | #204 |
| 2019 | 43 | #140 |
| 2018 | 56 | #116 |
| 2017 | 49 | #127 |
| 2016 | 44 | #146 |
| 2015 | 76 | #95 |
| 2014 | 70 | #109 |
| 2013 | 81 | #92 |
| 2012 | 90 | #91 |
| 2011 | 88 | #92 |
| 2010 | 98 | #82 |
| 2009 | 113 | #69 |
| 2008 | 172 | #49 |
| 2007 | 156 | #51 |
| 2006 | 145 | #52 |
| 2005 | 169 | #43 |
| 2004 | 165 | #45 |
| 2003 | 169 | #40 |
| 2002 | 179 | #38 |
| 2001 | 197 | #39 |
| 2000 | 204 | #36 |
| 1999 | 197 | #36 |
| 1998 | 181 | #35 |
| 1997 | 315 | #24 |
| 1996 | 329 | #24 |
| 1995 | 349 | #20 |
| 1994 | 360 | #19 |
| 1993 | 379 | #17 |
| 1992 | 377 | #18 |
| 1991 | 427 | #17 |
| 1990 | 510 | #14 |
| 1989 | 489 | #14 |
| 1988 | 492 | #15 |
| 1987 | 545 | #12 |
| 1986 | 668 | #10 |
| 1985 | 689 | #9 |
| 1984 | 728 | #10 |
| 1983 | 747 | #9 |
| 1982 | 835 | #8 |
| 1981 | 907 | #7 |
| 1980 | 944 | #7 |
| 1979 | 895 | #7 |
| 1978 | 857 | #8 |
| 1977 | 865 | #7 |
| 1976 | 812 | #9 |
| 1975 | 726 | #10 |
| 1974 | 688 | #9 |
| 1973 | 692 | #9 |
| 1972 | 684 | #9 |
| 1971 | 736 | #9 |
| 1970 | 651 | #10 |
| 1969 | 678 | #10 |
| 1968 | 631 | #10 |
| 1967 | 616 | #11 |
| 1966 | 597 | #14 |
| 1965 | 585 | #13 |
| 1964 | 464 | #14 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.