Brendon

An alternate spelling of the Irish Brendan, derived from an Old Welsh root meaning prince or king. While Brendan belonged to sixth-century seafaring lore, Brendon spent decades lingering in the background before finding traction in late-twentieth-century America. It functioned largely as a middle ground between the classic Irish form and the booming popularity of Brandon.

The name lands firmly in the late 1990s, when swapping a vowel could give an established name a slightly sharper edge. A Brendon is generally pictured holding a skateboard, tuning a guitar, or sitting in the passenger seat of a sedan with a burnt CD. The spelling is distinct enough to require clarification on official paperwork. He is almost universally asked whether he spelled it with an O or an A.