Declining since 2017, #2,390 for boys today.
Popularity of Brayson since 1994
Babies named Brayson per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 63 |
| 2000s | 558 |
| 2010s | 1,897 |
| 2020s | 643 |
Meaning & origin
Brayson is a modern coinage that first appeared in U.S. records in 1994, part of a wave of -son surnames transformed into given names. Its popularity rose sharply in the early 2000s, reaching a peak at rank 2390 in 2017, with approximately 1 in 29,966 newborns receiving the name. Since 2017, the name's trajectory has been falling, reflecting a broader cooling of the -son trend. The top states for Brayson have been South Carolina, New York, and Texas, indicating a spread across regions but with a slight southern concentration. As a invented name, its appeal lies in its resemblance to familiar favorites like Brayden and Jackson, offering a fresh but recognizable choice.
Brayson is a modern invented name, likely formed by blending the popular Brayden (itself from Irish Ó Brádaigh, meaning 'descendant of Brádach') with the popular suffix -son (as in Jackson, Mason). It first appeared in U.S. records in 1994 and gained traction during the early 2000s as part of the trend for surnames-as-first-names. The name is sometimes associated with the English surname Brayson, which derives from a place name meaning 'Bray's settlement'.
Where Brayson is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bray
Sibling names for Brayson
Names that share Brayson's style, for a brother or sister.
