Brody

Brody is commonly traced through a Scottish surname to a place in Moray. The place-name’s older meaning is uncertain, with a Gaelic connection to a ditch or mire among the explanations. The appealing translations sometimes given as “broad eye” or “broad island” should not be treated as certain for every Brody.

Brodie is a closely related spelling with the same usual English pronunciation. Brody Jenner is a familiar bearer, and the television character Nicholas Brody in Homeland is known by his surname. A family choosing Brody may care most about its surname heritage or sound. Neither requires replacing an uncertain place-name history with a more flattering invented meaning.