Name meaning & stats
Brook
Brook means “swamp, marsh”. 13,957 US babies since 1940, peak 1980. Notable Brooks are 1.7× over-represented as basketball players.
What it means
“swamp, marsh”
Well documented
Originally a surname.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1980
13,957 US babies were named Brook between 1940 and 2025.
Where Brooks end up
Not enough notable Brooks yet, so this uses the spelling family: Brooke, Brook.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Actor | 1.5× | High · 50 people |
| Basketball player | 1.7× | Medium · 17 people |
| Model | 1.6× | Medium · 16 people |
| Footballer | 1.5× | Medium · 15 people |
Among notable women who are basketball players, the Brooke family show up 1.7× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Brook has a surprise career: 2.3×
Spelling family
1 in 15 Brookes spell it Brook
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1980)