Brooks Name Meaning

A strong, classic name that has been around for centuries. Let’s take a look at the history, origin, meaning, and current popularity of this charming name.

A Look at the History of Brooks

The name Brooks has been around since Old English times, when it was derived from a surname. The surname itself was derived from the Old English word “broc”, which means “a stream”. It was also used as a given name during this period, but it didn’t become popular until much later.

Steady Rise in Popularity

The name Brooks began to steadily rise in popularity in the late 19th century and early 20th century. It even reached the top 100 list of most popular boy’s names in the United States in the 1920s. It has since fallen off the list and is no longer a top 100 name, but it still remains a beloved option for parents today.

What Does the Name Mean?

The name Brooks has multiple meanings, depending on its origin. In Old English, it meant “a stream”, but it has also been used as a reference to a stream of people, a stream of thought, or a flowing river. It can also be seen as a reference to a “brook” or a “brooklet”, which is a small stream or creek.

A Sweet, Enduring Name

All in all, the name Brooks has a long and sweet history. It is an enduring name that has stood the test of time and is still a beloved choice for parents today. With its charming history and multiple meanings, it’s no surprise that the name Brooks is still used today.

Infographic of Brooks name meaning, which is Meaning small stream, Brooks is an English name.
Ask your friends & family about Brooks…

Brooks Name Popularity

How popular is the name Brooks? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 — 0 0%
1911 — 0 0%
1912 — 0 0%
1913 678 17 0.003%
1914 757 20 0.0029%
1915 1,175 8 0.0009%
1916 804 26 0.0027%
1917 843 25 0.0025%
1918 863 26 0.0024%
1919 955 19 0.0018%
1920 764 40 0.0036%
1921 742 45 0.0039%
1922 734 45 0.004%
1923 993 19 0.0017%
1924 744 43 0.0037%
1925 1,025 17 0.0015%
1926 875 26 0.0024%
1927 909 25 0.0023%
1928 990 19 0.0018%
1929 978 18 0.0017%
1930 1,043 15 0.0014%
1931 969 17 0.0017%
1932 1,422 5 0.0005%
1933 1,077 11 0.0012%
1934 1,259 7 0.0007%
1935 984 14 0.0014%
1936 1,449 5 0.0005%
1937 946 15 0.0015%
1938 967 15 0.0015%
1939 1,197 6 0.0006%
1940 875 21 0.002%
1941 1,389 5 0.0004%
1942 745 37 0.0029%
1943 — 0 0%
1944 869 22 0.0018%
1945 951 15 0.0012%
1946 931 21 0.0014%
1947 759 44 0.0026%
1948 890 25 0.0016%
1949 870 29 0.0018%
1950 1,033 16 0.001%
1951 864 30 0.0018%
1952 844 33 0.0019%
1953 705 64 0.0036%
1954 792 45 0.0025%
1955 816 42 0.0023%
1956 718 64 0.0034%
1957 824 43 0.0022%
1958 966 26 0.0014%
1959 775 53 0.0028%
1960 830 44 0.0023%
1961 707 73 0.0039%
1962 784 52 0.0028%
1963 754 61 0.0034%
1964 815 46 0.0026%
1965 794 46 0.0028%
1966 804 42 0.0027%
1967 880 31 0.002%
1968 833 38 0.0025%
1969 872 38 0.0025%
1970 740 77 0.0048%
1971 669 103 0.0069%
1972 737 72 0.0053%
1973 808 54 0.0042%
1974 700 88 0.0068%
1975 935 39 0.003%
1976 798 65 0.005%
1977 748 78 0.0058%
1978 934 43 0.0032%
1979 639 129 0.0091%
1980 502 241 0.0165%
1981 417 354 0.0241%
1982 404 379 0.0254%
1983 494 243 0.0165%
1984 538 208 0.014%
1985 510 244 0.0161%
1986 602 174 0.0115%
1987 590 189 0.0124%
1988 702 129 0.0083%
1989 681 161 0.01%
1990 664 183 0.011%
1991 727 145 0.0089%
1992 689 177 0.0111%
1993 699 169 0.0108%
1994 671 194 0.0126%
1995 674 196 0.013%
1996 653 210 0.014%
1997 681 192 0.013%
1998 723 179 0.012%
1999 699 191 0.0128%
2000 709 196 0.0128%
2001 724 193 0.0128%
2002 724 196 0.0131%
2003 722 208 0.0137%
2004 632 289 0.019%
2005 632 303 0.0198%
2006 592 372 0.0238%
2007 538 439 0.0278%
2008 584 385 0.0249%
2009 477 531 0.0355%
2010 402 665 0.0461%
2011 345 844 0.0592%
2012 358 814 0.0571%
2013 299 1,135 0.0797%
2014 243 1,507 0.1034%
2015 231 1,639 0.1126%
2016 231 1,650 0.1144%
2017 203 1,911 0.1369%
2018 161 2,352 0.1712%
2019 109 3,481 0.2571%
2020 95 3,694 0.2902%
2021 77 4,429 0.3623%

Alaska (AK)

Alabama (AL)

Arkansas (AR)

Arizona (AZ)

California (CA)

Colorado (CO)

Connecticut (CT)

District of Columbia (DC)

Delaware (DE)

Florida (FL)

Georgia (GA)

Hawaii (HI)

Iowa (IA)

Idaho (ID)

Illinois (IL)

Indiana (IN)

Kansas (KS)

Kentucky (KY)

Louisiana (LA)

Massachusetts (MA)

Maryland (MD)

Maine (ME)

Michigan (MI)

Minnesota (MN)

Missouri (MO)

Mississippi (MS)

Montana (MT)

North Carolina (NC)

North Dakota (ND)

Nebraska (NE)

New Hampshire (NH)

New Jersey (NJ)

New Mexico (NM)

Nevada (NV)

New York (NY)

Ohio (OH)

Oklahoma (OK)

Oregon (OR)

Pennsylvania (PA)

Rhode Island (RI)

South Carolina (SC)

South Dakota (SD)

Tennessee (TN)

Texas (TX)

Utah (UT)

Virginia (VA)

Vermont (VT)

Washington (WA)

Wisconsin (WI)

West Virginia (WV)

Wyoming (WY)

Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Brooks

If you like Brooks, you’ll love these other names like Brooks.

What names are variants of Brooks?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Brooks.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Brook

Water, small stream; stream near the hollow; western stream

German

Brooke

Water, small stream; western stream

German

Brookes

Water, small stream

German

Brookie

Water, small stream

German

What names sound like Brooks?

If you like how Brooks sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Brooks.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Briggs

Bridges

English

Burges

Freeman of a borough

French

Burgess

Freeman of a borough

French

Burgiss

Freeman of a borough

French

Parks

Park keeper

English

What names are similar to Brooks?

Find a name that’s like Brooks, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Calder

Rough waters; stream

Scottish

Lists With Brooks

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Brooks.

Siblings of Brooks

Mamas with kids named Brooks also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Britton

From Britain

English

Ryker

Rich

English

Kian

Ancient; God is gracious

Irish

Everly

From the boar meadow

English

7 Comments

  1. We heard it somewhere & just loved it! It was the only boy name we agreed on

    Reply

  2. We both liked the name and had very few associations with it

    Reply

  3. I’m a Brooks & Dunn fan. I was thinking of a name that would be strong, unique, and had a warm feeling when I said it out loud to people when they asked what the name would be. It was the only name that made me tingle every-time I said it.

    Reply

  4. Brooks is a professional golfer mg husband and i love

    Reply

  5. Brooks was after one of my favorite students.

    Reply

  6. We thought it was a bit different and not too common. And we like that it’s unlikely to be shortened

    Reply

  7. My husband and I wanted a strong English name to tie to my husband’s heritage. When I did some research and found out that it is also the English form of the Hebrew name Baruch, which is in the Bible and means Blessed, we knew it was perfect since our faith is also important to us.

    Reply

Share your thoughts on the name Brooks

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required *

*