Bryan is a spelling variant of Brian, an Irish name of uncertain origin that is usually explained as "noble" or "high", from an old Celtic root meaning hill. The spelling with a y follows the surname Bryan and was carried by figures such as politician William Jennings Bryan. In the United States Bryan was a top 100 name from 2000 to the late 2000s, peaking at number 64 in 2002, and has drifted to number 336 in 2025.