Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources
☙

Brendan m. Welsh breenhin 'a prince'.

The name of two 6th C Irish saints.

Despite its Welsh etymology, the name is actually Gaelic in origin, a borrowing of the Welsh word in the form Brénainn (Old and Middle Irish) or Bréanainn (Early Modern Irish). The spelling Brendan, common in English contexts, developed from the Latinization Brendanus or Brandanus.

England
Early Modern English
● 1585 Brendon DEmar-vol2 p. 11; 1587 Brendon ibid. p. 13; 1594 Brendon ibid. p. 30
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Brendan". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Brendan.