Bret

Last seen for girls in 2011 at #14,824 · #4,857 for boys in 2025, 20 births
Given to boys 99.2% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1959 · 1,839 births
Debut · boys
5 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
29,819
since 1926

Bret over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Bret has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201987peak #170, 1959boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#4,85720
2024#4,70121
2023#4,00227
2022#4,44223
2021#4,49422
2020#5,23517
2019#4,63921
2018#3,30134
2017#4,33123
2016#3,35833
2015#3,36533
2014#2,66145
2013#2,89539
2012#2,81142
2011#14,8246#1,92772
2010#1,71389
2009#1,63896
2008#1,380123
2007#13,9247#1,464109
2006#1,51999
2005#13,0107#1,093151
2004#1,022160
2003#956171
2002#12,1877#868189
2001#714246
2000#10,7458#657274
1999#12,6886#580335
1998#9,2609#604305
1997#8,33410#614285
1996#7,13012#543350
1995#6,25714#519388
1994#5,01619#494414
1993#8,7199#507405
1992#468463
1991#432516
1990#12,9585#418546
1989#12,3625#398545
1988#7,11110#410487
1987#5,61313#365536
1986#5,45913#366509
1985#6,03111#365502
1984#10,4225#381458
1983#6,21210#352504
1982#9,2376#2171,098
1981#5,57112#342532
1980#10,3925#400410
1979#359490
1978#396381
1977#385415
1976#341505
1975#359462
1974#342509
1973#322541
1972#8,2925#293628
1971#7,3886#284734
1970#6,3627#260871
1969#264791
1968#7,0165#246841
1967#243837
1966#243860
1965#274743
1964#275786
1963#274787
1962#274787
1961#284741
1960#2231,242
1959#1701,839
1958#1871,514
1957#556194
1956#83181
1955#76391
1954#79582
1953#96655
1952#1,04448
1951#1,48925
1950#1,23234
1949#1,46225
1948#1,70319
1947#1,39428
1946#2,14312
1945#2,24210
1944#2,6338
1943#2,18212
1942
1941#2,4919
1940#2,32210
1939
1938
1937
1936
1935
1934
1933
1932
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927
1926#4,2015
1925
1924
1923
1922
1921
1920
1919
1918
1917
1916
1915
1914
1913
1912
1911
1910
1909
1908
1907
1906
1905
1904
1903
1902
1901
1900
1899
1898
1897
1896
1895
1894
1893
1892
1891
1890
1889
1888
1887
1886
1885
1884
1883
1882
1881
1880
First appearance
1926

The first year at least five boys were named Bret! It came in at #4,201, and was given to 5 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1926–1939, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.

Where Bret is popular in 1987

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedNHWashington: #229 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,866 boysWAIdaho: #181 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,094 boysIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #199 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,178 boysMNIllinois: #313 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 2,723 boysILWisconsin: #326 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,050 boysWIMichigan: #253 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 2,394 boysMINew York: #679 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 9,664 boysNYMassachusetts: #327 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 4,533 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedRIOregon: #240 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,971 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedSDIowa: #199 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,771 boysIAIndiana: #255 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,638 boysINOhio: #207 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 2,007 boysOHPennsylvania: #392 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 5,543 boysPANew Jersey: #629 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 9,983 boysNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #387 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 3,731 boysCAUtah: #137 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 834 boysUTColorado: #262 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,233 boysCONebraska: #139 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 890 boysNEMissouri: #191 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 1,625 boysMOKentucky: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedWVVirginia: #508 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 6,571 boysVAMaryland: #357 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 4,158 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedDEArizona: #499 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,677 boysAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedNMKansas: #152 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 973 boysKSArkansas: #291 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,493 boysARTennessee: #477 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 6,447 boysTNNorth Carolina: #491 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 5,931 boysNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #323 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,969 boysOKLouisiana: #346 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,474 boysLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedALGeorgia: #434 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 4,556 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Bret, so not publishedHITexas: #465 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 4,346 boysTXFlorida: #335 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 2,742 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Utah#137 · 1 in 834
  2. Nebraska#139 · 1 in 890
  3. Kansas#152 · 1 in 973
  4. Idaho#181 · 1 in 1,094
  5. Missouri#191 · 1 in 1,625

Best ever in a state: #25 in Utah, 1958.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Utah#137191 in 834
Nebraska#139121 in 890
Kansas#152171 in 973
Idaho#18161 in 1,094
Missouri#191221 in 1,625
Iowa#199101 in 1,771
Minnesota#199141 in 2,178
Ohio#207381 in 2,007
Washington#229171 in 1,866
Oregon#24091 in 1,971
Michigan#253271 in 2,394
Indiana#255141 in 2,638
Colorado#262111 in 2,233
Arkansas#29161 in 2,493
Illinois#313301 in 2,723
Oklahoma#32371 in 2,969
Wisconsin#32681 in 4,050
Massachusetts#32791 in 4,533
Florida#335291 in 2,742
Louisiana#346131 in 2,474
Maryland#35771 in 4,158
California#387641 in 3,731
Pennsylvania#392141 in 5,543
Georgia#434101 in 4,556
Texas#465331 in 4,346
Tennessee#47751 in 6,447
North Carolina#49171 in 5,931
Arizona#49951 in 5,677
Virginia#50861 in 6,571
New Jersey#62951 in 9,983
New York#679131 in 9,664
Alabama
Alaska
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Kentucky
Maine
Mississippi
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Vermont
West Virginia
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Bret
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 156 spots since 2024 (#4,701#4,857)
  • 378 spots since 2020 (#5,235#4,857)
  • 1,492 spots since 2015 (#3,365#4,857)
  • Biggest jump: 369 spots in 1958 (#556#187)
  • Biggest drop: 154 spots in 2002 (#714#868)
Rise & fade · boys
33 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1926
  • Peaked 1959 at #170 (1,839 births)
  • Births halved by 1961, 2 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 51 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 51 yrs · run 1953–2003
Share of babies · boys
1 in 1,161
  • Highest: 1 in 1,161 boys born in 1959 were named Bret (0.09%)
  • Latest: 1 in 85,404 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · boys
The 1960s
  • 28.2% of all boys named Bret (8,415) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1920s5#4,201 (1926)#4,201
1930s0
1940s133#1,394 (1947)#2,064
1950s3,963#170 (1959)#803
1960s8,415#223 (1960)#260
1970s5,536#260 (1970)#334
1980s5,581#217 (1982)#360
1990s4,007#418 (1990)#518
2000s1,618#657 (2000)#1,131
2010s431#1,713 (2010)#3,100
2020s130#4,002 (2023)#4,622

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Bret in 1987

girls
#5,613
13 births · 1 in 133,741 girls
boys
#365
536 births · 1 in 3,483 boys

Top girls' names in 1987

  1. #1Jessica55,992
  2. #2Ashley54,856
  3. #3Amanda41,786
  4. #4Jennifer32,710
  5. #5Sarah27,894
  6. #6Stephanie22,402
  7. #7Brittany22,231
  8. #8Nicole20,286
  9. #9Heather18,982
  10. #10Elizabeth18,608
  11. #5,613Bret13

Top boys' names in 1987

  1. #1Michael63,664
  2. #2Christopher54,493
  3. #3Matthew46,511
  4. #4Joshua40,002
  5. #5David36,795
  6. #6Andrew36,206
  7. #7Daniel35,876
  8. #8James32,659
  9. #9Justin31,491
  10. #10Robert30,237
  11. #365Bret536
More about 1987

girls

1,738,632 girls got a published name in 1987; 1 in 133,741 of them was named Bret, which outranked 57.7% of the 13,263 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Bret
  1. #5,312Yoana14
  2. #5,312Zinnia14
  3. #5,312Zoey14
  4. #5,613Bret13
  5. #5,613Adrienna13
  6. #5,613Aidan13
  7. #5,613Aishah13
  8. #5,923Abigal12
  9. #5,923Adonna12
  10. #5,923Adriel12

Tied with 309 names at #5,613; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1986
Risers
  1. 1,808Janay#2,195#387
  2. 1,048Channing#1,638#590
  3. 786Ayla#1,380#594
  4. 714Yessenia#1,439#725
  5. 648Denisse#1,602#954
Fallers
  1. 1,153Halley#580#1,733
  2. 674Cherrelle#879#1,553
  3. 637Sharday#933#1,570
  4. 613Sharde#873#1,486
  5. 539Shardae#832#1,371

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,866,984 boys got a published name in 1987; 1 in 3,483 of them was named Bret, which outranked 95.5% of the 8,152 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Bret
  1. #361Kenny539
  2. #363Zachariah538
  3. #364Damian537
  4. #365Bret536
  5. #366Charlie533
  6. #366Damon533
  7. #368Diego525
Biggest movers since 1986
Risers
  1. 994Trevin#1,962#968
  2. 819Conner#1,617#798
  3. 593Mychal#1,363#770
  4. 503Jaren#1,457#954
  5. 457Corbin#1,049#592
Fallers
  1. 623Durell#816#1,439
  2. 336Jayce#694#1,030
  3. 267Rasheed#921#1,188
  4. 263Deshaun#971#1,234
  5. 260Britt#880#1,140

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1987