Brendan

Brendan is the English form of Irish Breandán, traditionally traced through an earlier Irish form to a Welsh word meaning “prince.” Saint Brendan the Navigator gives it a strong place in Irish religious and literary tradition. Stories of his extraordinary sea journey are medieval legend; they should not be presented as proof that he reached North America.

Writer Brendan Behan and actor Brendan Fraser are recognizable namesakes. Bren is an easy shortened form, while Brendon offers a familiar spelling alternative. Brandon can sound close in English, but it comes from a different surname and place-name history. Brendan may suit parents who want an established Irish connection with a spelling that is already familiar to many English-speaking readers.