A FIELD REPORT ON THE NAME
Brad
compact · sunlit · cordial
Origin & Meaning
AI-WrittenBrad originated as an English short form of place-name surnames like Bradford, meaning broad ford, or Bradley, broad clearing. Midcentury American parents increasingly bypassed the parent surnames to register the monosyllable directly on the birth certificate.
Fig. 1 — Births per annum, 1880–2025
SSA Data 1880 peak: 2,651 souls, A.D. 1960 2025
2025: 24 born, falling ↘
Estimated Age
53 yrs
Most Brads were born around 1975 — has dialed a rotary phone in earnest.
Peak Reign
1960
№134 that year
Generation
Gen X, 44%
then Boomer 31% · Millennial 20%
Rarity
Top 2000 all-time
≈83K ever born · now falling
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Estimates from SSA birth records and standard survival rates. Immigration and name changes not counted.
Brad grew up with
SSA Dataroller rinks·the Atari 2600·the Rubik's Cube
Data vs. Humans
What the data says
SSA Data
SSA: Brad peaked in 1960.
Estimated average age: 53.
What people think
Opinion LedgerAwaiting human data — cast the first votes.
Brad sounds like someone born in —
Fig. 2 — Style Coordinates
AI Seed · Votes Override at n=30 Vintage Modern
Formal Casual
Soft Strong
Cast your vote No account · one tap
In your mind, Brad sounds more like a —
Voting opens when the ledger goes live. No account. 24h cooldown per question.
Public Opinion Ledger
Ledger Opens Soon
The public has not yet weighed in on Brad. Early ballots carry the most weight.
* Early ballots — fewer than 30 cast so far. The ledger settles at 30.
First Impressions
AI-WrittenA Brad carries the uncomplicated cadence of late-twentieth-century yearbooks. The name reads as direct and approachable, never requiring a pronunciation guide. Today, with an average bearer age of fifty-three, it sits squarely in the prime of Generation X. It has almost entirely vacated delivery rooms, sliding from three thousand births at its 1960 peak to about two dozen recently.
Field Notes
AI-WrittenField Note 01
Generation X accounts for forty-four percent of all living Americans with the name.
Field Note 02
The name achieved its peak popularity in 1960, ranking at number 134.
Field Note 03
Record totals show roughly 83,000 boys received the name across 145 years, with almost no recorded female use.
Notable Brads
AI-WrittenBrad Birdanimator and director, b. 1957
Brad Garrettactor and comedian, b. 1960
Brad Paisleycountry musician, b. 1972
Brad Stevensbasketball executive and former coach, b. 1976
Ephemera — If Brad were a…
AI-WrittenCity
Tempe
Object
Foam beverage koozie
Era
1988 intramural softball
And what of your name?