Bret
Below 5 births
2025 SSA
About Bret
There are 15 times as many baby boys named Brett than Bret, but this sleeker version is used and has some merits, namely, being sleeker.
Bret for girls
Bret as a feminine name is an uncommon gender variation of what is typically a masculine name. The masculine Bret (sometimes Brett) derives from Middle English, originally a surname meaning 'a Breton' or 'someone from Brittany, France.' When used for girls, Bret offers a short, strong-sounding alternative to more traditionally feminine names, making it an option for parents seeking gender-neutral naming choices. The feminine usage of Bret saw some limited popularity in the mid-20th century, possibly influenced by characters in literature or entertainment. The name's brevity gives it a direct, no-nonsense quality that contrasts with longer feminine names. As a crossover name, female Brets may experience occasional assumptions about their gender based solely on their name.
Pronounced BRET.
As of November 2026, Bret ranked #4883 for boys in US births in 2025 and #15161 for girls in US births in 2011 SSA, peaked at #170 for boys in 1959 and #5044 for girls in 1994.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #2,669 | 45 | 23.4 |
| 2015 | #3,378 | 33 | 17.2 |
| 2016 | #3,369 | 33 | 17.4 |
| 2017 | #4,344 | 23 | 12.4 |
| 2018 | #3,306 | 34 | 18.7 |
| 2019 | #4,659 | 21 | 11.7 |
| 2020 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | #4,511 | 22 | 12.6 |
| 2022 | #4,451 | 23 | 13.2 |
| 2023 | #4,014 | 27 | 15.8 |
| 2024 | #4,712 | 21 | 12.2 |
| 2025 | #4,883 | 20 | 11.7 |
Similar names
These 40 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Bret.
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Bret on lists
Famous Brets
- (William) Bret BaierBoy
American TV news anchor
- Bret Peter Tarrant McKenzieBoy
New Zealand musician/comedian of duo Flight of the Conchords
- Bret Sergeant HartBoy
Canadian wrestler
- Bret Easton EllisBoy
American novelist
- Bret Michaels (born Bret Michael Sychak)Boy
American singer of band Poison
- Bret William SaberhagenBoy
American retired professional baseball pitcher
- Bret Robert BooneBoy
American baseball player
- (Francis) Bret HarteBoy
American fiction writer and poet
- Bret Michael HedicanBoy
American ice hockey player
- Bret Anthony JohnstonBoy
American novelist
- Bret Michael HarrisonBoy
American actor
- Bret James LoehrBoy
American actor
- Bret MorrisonBoy
American actor
Bret in pop culture
- Bret MaverickBoy
main character on TV's "Maverick"
- Bret LeatherBoy
character in the comic book series Planetary
- Bret RensselaerBoy
character in several spy novels by Len Deighton
- Bret MarcusBoy
character on TV's "Best Friends Whenever"