Brianna is the feminine form of Brian, an Irish name of uncertain origin that is usually explained as "high" or "noble". Edmund Spenser used the form Briana in The Faerie Queene in 1590, but the name only came into general use in the 20th century and became one of the most popular girls' names in the United States in the 1990s and 2000s. Brianna was number 15 among US girls' names in 2000, remained in the top 100 until 2016 and ranks number 222 in 2025, with Briana and Breanna charting separately.