The baby name Bruce started out as a surname, just like so many favorites today. But this one took a different path to the top of the charts, arriving decades before Jackson or Hunter.
Thanks to Lola for suggesting today’s Baby Name of the Day.
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ROBERT the BRUCE
Born in 1274, the future ruler of Scotland wasn’t a prince. His parents were nobles, but Robert’s claim to the throne was tenuous. On his father’s side, he was the fourth great-grandson of King David I.
The history is complicated, and the Scottish struggle for independence from England plays out over many years. So let’s say this: there was a succession crisis, when more than one Scottish ruler or heir died unexpectedly. Some claimed Robert was ruthless; others painted him as a self-sacrificing hero. Either way, Robert took the throne.
As Robert I he reigned over an independent Scotland from 1306 until his death in 1329. He remains a folk hero many centuries later.
As for his name, the future king wasn’t the first Robert the Bruce. Six of his ancestors were also Robert, also the Bruce or de Brus, likely from Le Brix or Le Brieux in Normandy. Other spellings were seen, too, and there’s a William le Brus in the mix, too.
So Bruce has French roots, but is mostly a Scottish surname name tied up with a historical figure/folk hero.
It’s a good starting point for a name.
BRUCE WAYNE
There’s no shortage of famous people named Bruce, either.
Perhaps the most obvious example: Batman.
The hero of Gotham City debuted in the comics way back in 1939. He’s fabulously wealthy, and – thanks to losing his parents to violent crime as a child – dedicated to fighting for justice.
The character’s first name was inspired by Robert the Bruce. His last name comes from Founding Father Anthony Wayne.
From comics to television and endless movie versions, Batman remains a widely-known, instantly recognizable character, in both his superhero and everyday aliases. Robert Pattison is the actor most recently known as the live action caped crusader. A new animated version is expected later in 2024, too.
BRUCE: MORE FAMOUS FIGURES
- Legendary rock star Bruce Springsteen of Born in the USA fame and more.
- Actor, martial artist and icon Bruce Lee.
- Actor and action hero Bruce Willis.
- Fun fact: it’s the name of the mechanical shark in Jaws, apparently named for director Steven Spielberg’s attorney. And the shark in Finding Nemo, the one who confidently introduces himself with “M’ name’s Bruce”? That shark is named in homage to the Jaws character.
There’s even a Bruce Museum, but no it doesn’t pay homage to all of the above – it’s simply a Greenwich, Connecticut cultural institution that started out as the residence of wealthy merchant Robert Moffat Bruce.
BY the NUMBERS
Of course, none of those Bruces needed a reason to wear the name.
The baby name Bruce has appeared in the US data every year since 1880, and peaked at #25 back in 1952. (Springsteen was born in 1949 – just about peak Bruce.) It remained in the US Top 100 until 1970.
Bruce has fallen out of use dramatically since then, tumbling to #541 as of 2023. That’s close to an all-time low.
And yet, lately it doesn’t sound quite as dated as it once did. It could almost follow names like Bryce and Jude into use, a logical sound ready for a comeback.
While the baby name Bruce remains in hibernation for now, it’s got plenty of potential for revival. Just give it another ten or twenty years.
What do you think of the baby name Bruce?
First published on August 20, 2008, this post was revised and re-published on July 5, 2024.
My youngest is Bruce, it started as a bit of a joke as I said I wanted a proper mans name that was different but not made up. OH said what like bruce! And it just stuck through the pregnancy. People thought we had gone mad and he would come out with love & hate tattooed on his knuckles but totally opposite, hes blonde haired, blue eyed and everyone loves his name now, he couldnt be anything else. Struggling to name our next son due in 5 weeks, thinking bruno or something scottish to match bruce possibly william or robert but I even like axl as axl rose real name is william bruce.
No worries, Kayt, James Kenneth is dashing in his own right. I think you guys did a fine job compromising. 🙂
I love Kenneth! I’ve had a few friends named Kenneth in both my generation and my parents’ generation, so it doesn’t sound too old and stuffy to me.
I want to like Bruce, especially since it’s Scottish, but I just can’t. It sounds rather brutish to me.
Kenneth is a huge family name for my husband. He’s Kevin Kenneth, his dad and grandfather are Kenneth Ernest, he has an uncle named Kenneth Ray, and a brother in law named Kenneth Charles. I couldn’t do it as a first name, but I’m a total sucker for family names in the middle. I’ve had a lot of people tell me Kenneth James flows better, but I like the presence James Kenneth has, if that makes sense. Kind of like John Henry, you know?
Aww, too bad! James Kenneth is handsome though and I won’t quibble there. My other half is Kenneth James! 😀
I tried some variations, but we’re going with James Kenneth. My husband is very very into traditional names. He took my top fifty name list and narrowed it down to James and William for a first name choice. Garret and Dominic were on my list, and I tried offering them up as variants for his grandpa. Nope!
Oh Kayt, I’d’ve thought Gareth, Garland or Garnet for Gary or Donovan, Donatello or Donal for Don and flown with it. Please my oddball other half and the MIL in one? A definite win-win in my book! Maybe you’d still reconsider? 😉
You’re welcome, Lola! I must say that having a fabulous Uncle Bruce makes me a bit biased towards this one. And my apologies – I meant to snatch up that great list you did and paste it here (with credit to you, of course) but it slipped my mind.
But it’s also true that whenever we find a cluster of names so far out that they’re impossible to consider, odds are that they’re just waiting for their moment to make a comeback. When I started thinking about Walter, Frank and Raymond, all of a sudden Bruce sounded perfectly plausible.
That said, Kayt, I *do* know what you mean. I’m still back with Henry, Oscar, George and the other throwbacks. But then, I’m 35 – I know lots of Boomers with those names. When my little cousin – she’s turning 16 this weekend, yikes! – eventually has children, she might look at our family tree and feel totally different about some of those names. (But I’m still not prepared to accept the fact that she’s dating, so let’s assume that it will be decades until she’s pushing a stroller.)
Now, my real hesitation about Bruce? I have shark fear. Always have. And as it happens, I’m typing from Virginia Beach – I can see the Atlantic from where I’m sitting. So Bruce? Couldn’t do it. I’d hear low strings every time I called my son’s name. 🙂
I just can’t get behind it. My MIL wanted us to consider Gary or Don for our son in honor of my husband’s recently deceased grandfather, but I just find the sound of Gary Don too much for me! It’s too dated and doddery sounding to me just yet, and Bruce is in exactly the same boat, I’m afraid.
Thanks! 🙂 I’m having problems with the laptop but finally managed to get online to see what you dug up on his Uncles name! Way to go, Verity!
I’m really finding him appealing recently and not just in an honoring sort of way. (also despite this former Jersey girl’s loathing of Springsteen). Bruce is charming in that stuffy way I like and, if you can step back from him a bit, he’s rakish, snappy and concise.
The Bruces I managed to think of before requesting this NotD:
Bruce Paltrow, deceased actor father of Gwyneth
Bruce Hornsby, musician
Bruce Campbell – Actor (and one of my favorite ones!)
Bruce Banner – super hero #2.. Hulk.
Bruce Greenwood – actor (I last saw him in “I, Robot” with Will Smith)
Bruce Dern – Actor and Actress Laura Dern’s Pop)
Bruce Boxenleitner -Actor (I think I spelled his last name right!)
I also came up with the 5 you listed.I mentioned to my other half that today’s name of the day was Bruce because I requested it and you should have seen his surprised face! “You’d really consider Bruce? Wow! How cool of you!” Made me feel like a superhero in his eyes. So again, Verity, Thanks a million. 😀