boy's name
Brice
BRICE
- Origin French
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 44,849
Scotland
#479
1997 births
Brice means speckled, and the fourth-century saint who carried it was a difficult man — Brictius succeeded Martin of Tours after years of insulting him publicly, and was driven out before being restored. The St Brice Day massacre of 1002 falls on his feast.
- Brice is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1981, when 1,210 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 58,952 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1901.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Brice over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 90 |
| 1910s | 105 |
| 1920s | 150 |
| 1930s | 70 |
| 1940s | 90 |
| 1950s | 385 |
| 1960s | 1,175 |
| 1970s | 4,535 |
| 1980s | 9,825 |
| 1990s | 7,300 |
| 2000s | 4,085 |
| 2010s | 500 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 80 |
What Brice means
Brice means speckled or freckled, on the commonest reading. The Gaulish root is uncertain, so the meaning is probable rather than established, so the reading is probable rather than documented.
Where Brice comes from
Brice comes from the Latin Brictius, borne by a fifth-century bishop of Tours, and behind that probably a Gaulish root meaning speckled or freckled. Saint Brice had a famously bad character: he was Martin of Tours's disciple, abused him for years, succeeded him anyway, and was expelled by his own people before returning. The St Brice's Day massacre of 1002, in which Æthelred ordered Danes in England killed, falls on his feast.
Brice in use
Brice peaked in France in 1981, when 1,210 babies were registered, and is falling in our data. It now ranks 2982nd in the United States on 42 births and 3055th in France on 10, across 44,849 lifetime births in two of the seven markets we track. The American series peaks separately in 1998 on 422 births, seventeen years after the French one.
How popular is Brice?
In 2025, Brice was given to 10 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Brice is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Brice
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Brice also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Brice over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Brice in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Scottish Gaelic
- Bryce
Sibling names for Brice
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Brice — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Brice
What does the name Brice mean?
Speckled or freckled, on the commonest reading. The Gaulish root is uncertain.
Who was Saint Brice?
Martin of Tours's disciple, who abused him for years, succeeded him, and was expelled before returning.
What was the St Brice's Day massacre?
Æthelred's order to kill Danes in England in 1002, falling on his feast day.
Is it Brice or Bryce?
Both are used; Brice is the French spelling and Bryce the commoner English one.
How popular is the name Brice?
In 2025, Brice was given to 10 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Brice a girl's or a boy's name?
Brice is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Brice?
Brice has 1 syllable.
When was Brice most popular?
Brice peaked in 1981, when 1,210 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Brice a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Brice currently ranks #2,982 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.