Brian

See also: brian

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Irish Brian.

Pronunciation
  • (UK, US, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈbɹaɪən/
  • Rhymes: -aɪən

Proper noun

Brian

  1. A male given name.
    • 1865 Charlotte Eliza L. Riddell: Maxwell Drewitt. Tinsley Brothers, London 1865. page 255-256:
      "What the deuce is their fancy for calling the young beggar Brian?" he inquired."Is it Brian Boroimhe they have gone back to, or is it some of her people, or what?"
      "There was a good Drewitt once," answered Wilhelmina, "- - - and his name was Brian. - - - And Nannie told her, too, how a child always strains after the person it is called after, and how luck follows names, and worked her up to such a pit finally, that nothing would do her but the young gentleman must be called Brian and accordingly Brian he is - Brian Archibald. It is not an easy name to make fun out of; so all I can do is to call him Brin Baldy.
    • 2008 Phill Young: FarArc. Author House 2008. →ISBN page 145:
      Why oh why had his parents even considered Brian? Brian is someone who works in a hardware shop or fixes the U bend. What chance did Sir Lovesdaslutalot have in life with a name like Brian? You can't even shorten Brian to Bri without it sounding like a kind of cheese!

Translations

Usage notes

After the Middle Ages, mostly used in Ireland; and again popular in all English-speaking countries in the 20th century.

Further reading

Anagrams

Cebuano

Etymology 1

Unknown.

Proper noun

Brian

  1. a surname​

Etymology 2

From English Brian, from Irish Brian.

Proper noun

Brian

  1. a male given name

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from English Brian in the 20th century, ultimately from Irish.

Proper noun

Brian

  1. A male given name.

References
  • Danskernes Navne, based on CPR data: 22 165 males with the given name Brian have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 1970s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Faroese

Etymology

From English Brian, (possibly via Danish Brian), ultimately from Irish Brian.

Proper noun

Brian m

  1. A male given name.

Usage notes
  • son of Brian: Briansson
  • daughter of Brian: Briansdóttir

Declension
Singular
Indefinite
Nominative Brian
Accusative Brian
Dative Briani
Genitive Brians

Irish

Etymology

Uncertain; possibly a borrowing from Proto-Brythonic *brigonos (“high, noble”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [bʲɾʲiən̪ˠ]

Proper noun

Brian m (genitive Briain)

  1. A male given name

Derived terms

Mutation
Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
Brian Bhrian mBrian
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References
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