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Brooklyn Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

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Learn about the name Brooklyn including the meaning, gender, origin, popularity, and more.

Brooklyn Overview

  • Meaning: Brooklyn is a borough in New York City, but it also means “one who lives near the brook.”
  • Gender: Brooklyn is more popular as a girl’s name in the US
  • Origin: Brooklyn originates from the borough in New York City. It also comes from the combination of the name Brook and the suffix “lyn.”
  • Pronunciation: “BRUUK-lin”
  • Popularity: Brooklyn is a very popular name in the US.
  • Nicknames: Brook, Brookie, Lyn, Lynnie.
  • Variations: Brooklynne, Brooklin, Brooklyne.
  • Namesakes: Brooklyn Becker, English model. Brooklyn Nelson, American actress.

What Does Brooklyn Mean?

The name Brooklyn has two primary meanings. Your first thought, and the one most people have, is of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, but it’s used more commonly for its other meaning where it is a combination of the names Brook or Brooke, and Lynn.

The name Brook means “one who lives near a brook,” while Lynn is a first name and a common suffix (1). When you add the two together, you get Brooklyn!

What Is the Origin of the Name Brooklyn?

Brook originates from the English surname of the same name, whereas Lynn is a Welsh girl’s name meaning “lake.” Using “lyn” as a suffix has become popular in the United States and is seen with similar names like Kaitlyn, Madelyn, and Adelyn.

How Popular Is the Name Brooklyn?

Brooklyn has been in the top 100 baby girl names in the United States for the past two decades (2). It is not as popular in other countries mainly because its most common association is with the New York City borough. The name Brooklyn surged in popularity in England after David and Victoria Beckham chose it for their son.

How Do I Pronounce Brooklyn?

The name Brooklyn is pronounced exactly like the borough, which you would pronounce as BRUUK-lin. The pronunciation stays the same among the many different variations of spelling the name Brooklyn can go through: for example, Brooklyne is pronounced the same way. Pronunciation does not differ based on the gender of the person.

Is Brooklyn a Boy or Girl Name?

Brooklyn is traditionally a girl’s name in the US but has also been popular in Europe as a boy’s name. Many names in the US that end with the suffix “lyn” are seen as girls’ names. Using “lyn” as a suffix has become increasingly popular in the last few decades in the US and is often used as a joke in pop culture.

Variations of Brooklyn

Most of the variations for the name Brooklyn play with the letters that come after “Brook,” and we’ve compiled a few for you below! There’s also nothing stopping you from playing around and coming up with your own variation.

  • Brookelyn (English)
  • Brookelynn (English)
  • Brooklen (English)
  • Brooklin (English)
  • Brooklyne (English)
  • Brooklynn (English)

Nicknames for Brooklyn

Brooklyn is a two-syllable name, which means a nickname is almost inevitable. We’ve put together a few different fun nicknames you can use for any Brooklyn in your life.

  • Bree
  • Brook
  • Brooks
  • Brookie
  • Bryn
  • Keely
  • Lynn
  • Lynnie
  • Roo
  • Rook
  • Rookie

Similar Names to Brooklyn

There are more than a few names like Brooklyn that use the suffix “lyn” for you to choose from! We’ve also thrown in some different but similar names to consider, too.

Boys:

Girls:

Middle Names for Brooklyn

Brooklyn can be hard to find a good middle name to go with. Our list has a mixture of one-syllable and two-syllable options for you to peruse.

Sibling Names for Brooklyn

Brooklyn pairs well with plenty of sibling names, and we’ve compiled a solid list of our favorites below. We also added a few more location names for a brother or sister that could make for a cute name pairing.

Boys:

Girls:

Famous People Named Brooklyn

Since the name Brooklyn is exceedingly popular in the US, most famous namesakes are American. Funnily enough, there are very few people named Brooklyn who live in the city of Brooklyn. That could get confusing!

  • Brooklyn Danielle Decker: American model and actress.
  • Brooklyn Becker: English model and photographer.
  • Brooklyn McKnight: American YouTuber.
  • Brooklyn Nelson: American actress.
  • Brooklyn Rae Silzer: American child actress.
  • Brooklyn Shuck: American actress.
  • Brooklyn Sudano: American actress, daughter of singer Donna Summer.

Brooklyn in Popular Culture

Brooklyn may be popular in the US as a name, but it isn’t seen as often in popular culture. However, the city of Brooklyn is often used in TV shows, films, comics, and other pop culture media, and is very familiar to most Americans.

  • Brooklyn: TV Series “Baby Shark’s Big Show.”
  • Brooklyn: TV Series “Gargoyles.”
  • Brooklyn “Brooke” Hayes: YouTube series character.

Brooklyn FAQs

We’ve put together a few frequently asked questions about the name Brooklyn.

Is Brooklyn a Biblical Name?

The name Brooklyn is most popular in the Christian religion and means “from the land of the broken” in this religious context. It is not a name found in the Christian Bible, so it is not considered a biblical name.

Where Did the Name Brooklyn Come From?

The city’s name Brooklyn originally derived from the Dutch town of Breukelen, which was located in the Netherlands. Once this area of New York City was named Brooklyn, families in the US began using it as a name for their newborns.

What is the Personality of the Name Brooklyn?

Brooklyn is said to be the name for someone dignified, self-sufficient, and impressive. Brooklyn’s are no push-overs and have a great sense of style! Those named Brooklyn have a larger personality and are incredibly disciplined, reliable, and hard-working.

Brooklyn’s lucky colors are gray and blue and their lucky gem is the sapphire. Many Brooklyn’s go on to become engineers, educators, professors, and scientists.

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