Bruin is the Dutch and Middle English word for "brown" and the traditional name of the bear in the medieval tales of Reynard the Fox, which is why it still serves as a poetic word for a bear. Americans know it best from the UCLA Bruins and the Boston Bruins. As a given name it is a rugged, outdoorsy choice: it peaked at number 1965 in 2021 and ranks number 2289 in 2025.