ChatGPT
Claude
Gemini
Perplexity
The short answer
Bruce is a masculine name used in Scottish and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From a Scottish surname, of Norman origin, which probably originally referred to the town of Brix in France. The surname was borne by Robert the Bruce, a Scottish hero of the 14th century who achieved independence from England and became the king of Scotland." It ranked #536 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from a Scottish surname, of Norman origin, which probably originally referred to the town of Brix in France. The surname was borne by Robert the Bruce, a Scottish hero of the 14th century who achieved independence from England and became the king of Scotland. The entry lists its usage as Scottish, English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Bruce ranked #536 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #536 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Scottish) and that sit near Bruce in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bruce mean?
Behind the Name does not give Bruce a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from a Scottish surname, of Norman origin, which probably originally referred to the town of Brix in France.
Is Bruce a popular name?
Bruce ranked #536 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Bruce a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Bruce appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Bruce — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
