How popular isyour name?

Girl name

Brenda

Brenda holds the #1525 spot on the 2025 list of the most popular girl names in the U.S. That amounts to 139 newborn girls in a single year. The name has been cooling off, slipping from #1261 in 2020 to #1525 today. Its strongest year on record was 1961 (#11 nationally, 23,781 newborns), in a data series reaching back to 1897. The name's biggest fan base is in Indiana (#916 there in 2025).

Rankings

2025 rank
#1525
among girl names
Trend
Falling
last 5 years
All-time peak
#11
in 1961 (1960s)
Babies in 2025
139
girls named Brenda

Brenda popularity, 1880–2025

0.33%0.66%0.98%1.3%18801900192019401960198020002020#11 in 1961
Girls — share of U.S. female birthsSource: SSA, 1880–2025◆ peak 1961

Where Brenda is most popular

Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025AK—Maine: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025ME—Vermont: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025VT—New Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025NH—Washington: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025WA—Idaho: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025ID—Montana: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025MT—North Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025ND—Minnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025MN—Wisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025WI—Michigan: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025MI—New York: #1165 (12 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)NY#1165Massachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025MA—Rhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025RI—Oregon: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025OR—Nevada: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025NV—Wyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025WY—South Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025SD—Iowa: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025IA—Illinois: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025IL—Indiana: #916 (6 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)IN#916Ohio: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025OH—Pennsylvania: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025PA—New Jersey: #939 (7 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)NJ#939Connecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025CT—California: #997 (27 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)CA#997Utah: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025UT—Colorado: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025CO—Nebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025NE—Missouri: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025MO—Kentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025KY—West Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025WV—Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025VA—Maryland: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025MD—Delaware: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025DE—Arizona: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025AZ—New Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025NM—Kansas: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025KS—Arkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025AR—Tennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025TN—North Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025NC—South Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025SC—District of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025DC—Oklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025OK—Louisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025LA—Mississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025MS—Alabama: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025AL—Georgia: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025GA—Hawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Brenda in 2025HI—Texas: #1268 (20 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)TX#1268Florida: #1436 (9 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)FL#1436
Share of girls born in 2025:lowhighno data (< 5 births)
Strongest states: Indiana (#916), New Jersey (#939), California (#997)

Uniqueness score

59/ 100Balanced
everywhereone of a kind

Well known, but far from crowded — the middle of the field. Based on how many babies per birth were named Brenda in the most recent year of SSA data.

Similar names

Explore lists

Compare Brenda