Briar
Boy name · #687 in 2025 · Uniqueness 51/100
In 2025, 397 baby boys were named Briar, placing it at #687 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1006, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,534 boys born in 2025 was named Briar.
Babies named Briar per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 54-year story
Briar first appears in the Social Security records in 1971, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 405 babies and a rank of #671. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Briar against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Briar in class?
Briar scores 51 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Briar is most common
Geography matters for names, and Briar is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Briars were TX (25), TN (23), IA (18), IN (18), MO (18). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Briar
Statistically, parents drawn to Briar tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Bear, Bridger, Bryer, Jamir, and Zahir.
BearBridgerBryerJamirZahirCedarZamirSamir
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Briar | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 397 | #686 |
| 2024 | 387 | #698 |
| 2023 | 405 | #671 |
| 2022 | 347 | #741 |
| 2021 | 364 | #714 |
| 2020 | 318 | #756 |
| 2019 | 302 | #775 |
| 2018 | 278 | #809 |
| 2017 | 244 | #882 |
| 2016 | 203 | #1006 |
| 2015 | 203 | #1006 |
| 2014 | 203 | #1008 |
| 2013 | 161 | #1128 |
| 2012 | 189 | #1030 |
| 2011 | 172 | #1082 |
| 2010 | 173 | #1105 |
| 2009 | 138 | #1272 |
| 2008 | 152 | #1175 |
| 2007 | 139 | #1263 |
| 2006 | 132 | #1265 |
| 2005 | 117 | #1302 |
| 2004 | 125 | #1216 |
| 2003 | 132 | #1141 |
| 2002 | 101 | #1315 |
| 2001 | 107 | #1242 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Briar a popular boy name?
Briar ranked #687 among boys in 2025 with 397 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1006.
When was the name Briar most popular?
Briar peaked in 2023, when 405 American boys received the name (ranked #671 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Briar?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,534 newborn American boys was named Briar. It scores 51/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.