Holding steady, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Breton since 1959
Babies named Breton per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 8 |
| 1960s | 61 |
| 1970s | 51 |
| 1980s | 118 |
| 1990s | 90 |
| 2000s | 54 |
| 2010s | 47 |
| 2020s | 27 |
Meaning & origin
Breton is a rare given name that has appeared on the U.S. Social Security records since 1959, with its peak popularity in 1988 when it ranked 12,008th. Despite its modest usage, the name has maintained a steady trajectory over the decades, never falling out of use entirely. As of 2025, only about 1 in 341,615 newborns were named Breton, reflecting its status as an uncommon choice. The name is predominantly chosen for boys and is largely concentrated in regions with French cultural ties. It belongs to the category of surname-style first names, evoking a sense of heritage and place.
Breton is the English exonym for a native of Brittany (French: Bretagne), a region in northwestern France. The name derives from the Latin 'Britto' via the Old English 'Bret' or 'Brytt', referring to the Britons who migrated from Great Britain to the continent in the early Middle Ages. As a given name, Breton has been in occasional use since the mid-20th century, primarily in English-speaking countries, often chosen for its surname-style appeal or to honor French heritage.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bret
Variants: Bretton
Sibling names for Breton
Names that share Breton's style, for a brother or sister.
