How to Pronounce Brown
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Brown name meaning
First Name
1k
in the U.S.
since 1880
1k
in the U.S.
since 1880
Last Name
1.4m
in the U.S.
in 2010
1.4m
in the U.S.
in 2010
Girls
Boys
Meaning and Origin
What does the name Brown mean? Keep reading to find the user submitted meanings, dictionary definitions, and more.
Origin and Meaning of Brown
User Submitted Origins
English
46%
African
28%
American
20%
Scottish
6%
User Submitted Meanings
- 3 submissions from the United States and Nigeria agree the name Brown means "A color".
- According to 2 people from Nigeria and Jamaica, the name Brown is of African / English origin and means "Everything".
- According to a user from Jamaica, the name Brown means "everything to me".
- A user from Nigeria says the name Brown means "Fertility".
International Interest
Also see international interest
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
adjective Brown
Of a dark color, of various shades between black and red or yellow.
Etymology: OE. brun broun, AS. br�n; akin to D. bruin, OHG. br�n, Icel. br�nn, Sw. brun, Dan. bruun, G. braun, Lith. brunas, Skr. babhru. √93, 253. Cf. Bruin Beaver Burnish Brunette
noun Brown
A dark color inclining to red or yellow, resulting from the mixture of red and black, or of red, black, and yellow; a tawny, dusky hue.
verb Brown
Senses
- To make brown or dusky."A trembling twilight o'er welkin moves, Browns the dim void and darkens deep the groves." [Barlow.]
- To make brown by scorching slightly; as, to brown meat or flour.
- To give a bright brown color to, as to gun barrels, by forming a thin coat of oxide on their surface.
verb Brown
To become brown.
Other Dictionary Sources
- A university in Rhode Island
- An orange of low brightness and saturation
- Abolitionist who was hanged after leading an unsuccessful raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (1800-1859)
- Scottish botanist who first observed the movement of small particles in fluids now known a Brownian motion (1773-1858)
- Make brown in color ("the draught browned the leaves on the trees in the yard")
- Fry in a pan until it changes color ("brown the meat in the pan")
- (of skin) deeply suntanned
- Of a color similar to that of wood or earth
Wiktionary
Originally a nickname for someone with brown hair or a dark complexion. In the United States, sometimes an anglicization and translation of German Braun.
- An English and Scottish surname.
- An Irish surname of Anglo-Norman origin, a translation of de Brún.
- A locale in the United States.
- An unincorporated community in California; named for hotelier George Brown.
- An unincorporated community in Louisiana; named for landowner George W. Brown.
- An unincorporated community in Oklahoma; named for postmaster Robert H. Brown.
- An unincorporated community in West Virginia; named for early settler John Brown.
- A ghost town in Nevada.
- Brown University.
- Alternative letter-case form of brown (“person with a dark complexion”)
Brown was also found in the following language(s): French and Scots
Notable Persons Named Brown
Notable Persons Named Brown
Brown Ideye
Brown Ideye is a soccer player for the Olympiacos F.C., Bayelsa United F.C., Ocean Boys F.C., Neuchâtel Xamax, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, FC Dynamo Kyiv, West Bromwich Albion F.C., Nigeria national under-20 football team, and Nigeria national football team. Brown was born on October 10th, 1988 in Yenagoa.
Brown Bannister
Brown was born on August 15th, 1951. Brown is also known as Elliott Brown Bannister III.
Brown Ferguson
Brown Ferguson is a soccer player for the Stenhousemuir F.C., East Stirlingshire F.C., Alloa Athletic F.C., Hamilton Academical F.C., and Partick Thistle F.C. Brown was born on June 4th, 1981 in Falkirk.
Brown Liniwe Mkhize
Brown Turei
Brown was born in 1924.
Brown William
Brown was born on July 16th, 1913. He left this life on March 8th, 1991.
Notable Persons With the Last Name Brown
Notable Persons With the Last Name Brown
Blake Lively
Blake Lively is an actress, model, and celebrity homemaker. She has been prominent since 1998. Blake was given the name Blake Ellender Brown on August 25th, 1987.
Chris Brown
Chris Brown is a contemporary r&b, hip hop music, pop music, and dance music musician. His most notable accomplishments were from 2005 to present. Chris was given the name Christopher Maurice Brown on May 5th, 1989 in Tappahannock, Virginia, U.S.
Mel B
Mel B is a singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, model, television personality, and author. Mel was given the name Melanie Janine Brown on May 29th, 1975 in Harehills.
James Brown
James Brown was a singing, songwriter, record producer, dance, bandleader, singer, and dancer. James was given the name James Joseph Brown on May 3rd, 1933 in Barnwell, South Carolina, U.S. James is also known as James Brown and the Famous Flames. He died on December 25th, 2006.
Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown is a 31st Attorney General of California, 47th Mayor of Oakland, and 24th Secretary of State of California. Jerry was born on April 7th, 1938.
Nicole Brown Simpson
Nicole was given the name Nicole Brown on May 19th, 1959 in Frankfurt. Nicole is also known as Nicole Brown. She passed away on June 12th, 1994.
- Dan BrownWriter
- John Brown
- Sterling K BrownFilm
- Dustin Brown
- Clancy BrownActor
- Bobbi Kristina BrownReality Television Personality
- Antonio BrownFootball Player
- Jim BrownAmerican Football Player
- Margaret BrownSocialite
- Matt Brown
- Michael EalyActor
- Alton BrownChef
- Kwame BrownBasketball Player
- Foxy BrownRapping
Ethnicity Distribution
| Ethnicity | Brown | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| █ | White | 57.95% | 64.26% |
| █ | African American | 35.60% | 11.96% |
| █ | Asian, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander | 0.51% | 4.85% |
| █ | American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.87% | 0.69% |
| █ | Two or More Ethnicities | 2.55% | 1.76% |
| █ | Hispanic or Latino | 2.52% | 16.26% |
Of Last Name Brown
People with the last name Brown are most frequently White or African American
Entire United States
Fun Facts about the name Brown
| #4 | Popular Surnames |