Bret

An uncommon Celtic pick — distinctive and rare.

Boy's name| Also girlsCelticRising fast
#4712 698in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A male given name transferred from the surname, variant of Brett, ultimately meaning "a Breton".

Bret is a boy's and girl's baby name of Celtic origin, a variant of Brett — meaning 'a Breton' or 'native of Brittany,' the Celtic region of northwestern France where Brythonic peoples settled in the early medieval period. As a given name, it carries the rugged independence of the Celtic peoples.

Bret has the clean, one-syllable confidence of classic American names — familiar and friendly, with deep Celtic roots beneath its simple surface.

Compare Bret with another name

Popularity Over Time

Bret was #1022 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #4712, but its charm endures.

04609201k2k19401960198020002024

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Bret
DecadeBirthsTrend
2020s110
2010s431
2000s1,618
1990s4,007
1980s5,582
1970s5,536
1960s8,413
1950s3,963
1940s133
1920s5

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(85 years, 19262024)
Year-by-year popularity data for the name Bret
YearBirthsRank
202421#4712
202327#4014
202223#4451
202122#4511
202017#5273
201921#4659
201834#3306
201723#4344
201633#3369
201533#3378
201445#2669
201339#2897
201242#2820
201172#1931
201089#1716
200996#1641
2008123#1380
2007109#1465
200699#1519
2005151#1094

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Bret as a Girl's Name

While overwhelmingly a boy's name, Bret has also been given to 232 girls in the U.S. since 1968.

Unranked
Current rank
232
Total births
1994
Peak year
Compare Bret as boy vs girl

Frequently Asked

Can Bret be used for both boys and girls?
Yes, Bret is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name, it currently ranks #4712. As a girl's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (19262024) · Methodology