Brendan
/B-R-EH-N-D-AH-N/
Prince, little raven, from Old Irish Brénainn. Saint Brendan the Navigator legendarily sailed to the Americas in the 6th century
Get Brendan's full report — patron saint, feast day & a portrait — freeQuick — what every Christian parent asks about Brendan:
How well does Brendan fit your family?
This page tells you what Brendan means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
Unlock Brendan's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — Brendan is a Christian boy name of English origin, meaning “Prince, little raven, from Old Irish Brénainn. Saint Brendan the Navigator legendarily sailed to the Americas in the 6th century”.
Brendan is a boy's name of English origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Prince, little raven, from Old Irish Brénainn. Saint Brendan the Navigator legendarily sailed to the Americas in the 6th century" and belongs to the Nobility cluster — names with regal heritage and dignified bearing.
Common among British, American, European families, Brendan carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
The patron saint & feast day behind Brendan
Many Christian names carry a patron saint and a feast day (name day) — a tradition of choosing a name for the saint a child is born near, or one the family holds dear. Brendan lives in this tradition of meaning and heritage.
NameRoot connects the dots. See Brendan's patron saint, its feast day, and whether it aligns with your baby's birth — alongside its full family score.
See Brendan's saint & feast day →What does Brendan's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Brendan resonates in either tradition.
Brendan's destiny number is 4 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Brendan's full reading →
Does Brendan go with your family's names?
Brendan breaks into 7 sounds: /B-R-EH-N-D-AH-N/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Brendan sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Brendan beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Brendan — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Brendan
If Brendan resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian boy names, common in British families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian boy names from the Nobility cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as Brendan
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Brendan — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Brendan
What does the name Brendan mean?
Brendan means "Prince, little raven, from Old Irish Brénainn. Saint Brendan the Navigator legendarily sailed to the Americas in the 6th century." It is a boy name of English origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Brendan a boy or girl name?
Brendan is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Brendan?
Brendan is of English origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among British, American, European families.
Is Brendan a Christian name?
Yes. Brendan is a boy name traditionally used in Christian families, of English origin.
What does Brendan mean in English?
Brendan originates from English, where it means "Prince, little raven, from Old Irish Brénainn. Saint Brendan the Navigator legendarily sailed to the Americas in the 6th century."
What are common nicknames for Brendan?
Common short forms of Brendan include Breni, Bren.
What is the numerology of Brendan?
Brendan has a Pythagorean destiny number of 4 — stability and disciplined work.
See how Brendan scores for your family
NameRoot is the only baby-name app that scores every name across 6 signals against your specific family context. Download free — Brendan is waiting.
Get NameRoot — free