Bret

Bret - A very unique male name

Bret appeared on the charts for the first time in 1943 on position #1524. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Bret and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Bret? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Bret. The baby boy name Bret was given to 5 baby boys in 2023, ranking #3933 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 292,965 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Bret peaked in popularity 67 years ago in 1959 on position 170.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Bret, 1-5?

Bret is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Bret is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #2,507 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,507.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Bret is where you live.

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Bret origin and meaning

English surname — respelling of Brett

Respelling of Brett, the surname meaning 'a Breton' — a person from Brittany settled in England

Bret is Brett pared to one t, peaking in 1959 with 1,824 births and totalling 26,702. It has no row in 2020 or 2025.

Attested etymology

Bret is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Bret, pop culture references for the name Bret and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Bret

We've found the following names that sound similar to Bret, sorted by popularity.

Brett / Brady / Brad / Brody / Barrett / Bert / Bart / Brodie / Buford / Burt /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Bret

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Bret a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Bret?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

BRET · /brÉ›t/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Brett — The standard spelling
• Britt — A related surname form

Famous bearers

• Bret Easton Ellis — Novelist, author of American Psycho (b. 1964) Contemporary
• Bret Hart — Canadian professional wrestler (b. 1957) Contemporary

Style

Surname

Why parents choose it

A lean Brett spelling with a novelist and a wrestler keeping it in print.

Worth knowing

• Brett is the spelling most people write; Bret Harte, the writer, spelled his surname-style name Bret — a genuine bearer of the spelling