Old page wikitext, before the edit (old_wikitext ) | '{{Infobox given name
| name = Brian
| image=
| imagesize=
| caption=
| pronunciation=
| gender = [[Male]]
| meaning = possibly "high" or "noble"
| region = [[England]], [[Ireland]]
| origin = [[Celtic languages|Celtic]], [[Irish language|Irish]]
| related names = [[Bryan (disambiguation)|Bryan]], [[Bryant (disambiguation)|Bryant]], [[Brion (disambiguation)|Brion]], Bran, [[Briant]],
| footnotes =
}}
'''Brian''' is an English and Irish [[given name]],<ref name="firstn"/> as well as a Irish, English, and French [[surname]].<ref name="lastn"/> It is possible that the name is derived from an [[Celtic languages|Old Celtic]] word meaning "high" or "noble".<ref name="firstn"/> For example the element ''bre'' means "hill"; which could be transferred to mean "eminence" or "exalted one".<ref name="lastn">{{cite book|title=Dictionary of American Family Names|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=0-19-508137-4}}</ref> The name is quite popular in [[Ireland]], on account of [[Brian Boru]], a 10th century [[king of Ireland]]. The name was also quite popular, during the [[Middle Ages]], in [[East Anglia]]. This is because the name was brought to [[England]] by [[Bretons]] following the [[Norman Conquest]].<ref name="firstn"/> Bretons also settled in Ireland along with the [[Normans]] in the 12th century, and 'their' name was mingled with the 'Irish' version.<ref name="lastn"/> Also, in the north-west of England, the name was brought by [[Scandinavian people|Scandinavian]] settlers from Ireland. Within the Gaelic speaking areas of Scotland, the name was at first only used by professional families of Irish origin.<ref name="firstn">{{cite book|title=A Dictionary of First Names|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=0192800507}}</ref>
The surname ''Brian'' is sometimes an English and Irish variant spelling of the surname ''[[Bryan (disambiguation)|Bryan]]''. The English and French surname ''Brian'' is sometimes derived from the personal Celtic personal name shown above. The surname ''Brian'' can also sometimes be a French surname; derived from the [[Old Occitan]] word ''brian'', meaning "maggot" and used as a [[nickname]].<ref name="lastn"/>
Variants of the name include Briant, Brien, Bran, [[Brion (disambiguation)|Brion]], [[Bryan (disambiguation)|Bryan]], [[Bryant (disambiguation)|Bryant]], Brjánn (in Icelandic) and Bryon.<ref>Noel Higgins & Jeanne Goldner, ''Names, Names, Names, A Book for You'' (Middletown, Connecticut: Weekly Reader Books, 1986), page 8-b.</ref>
==People==
*[[Brian (mythology)]], Celtic mythological figure
;Surname
*[[Havergal Brian]], (1876–1972), a British classical composer.
*[[Mary Brian]], (1906–2002), an American actress and movie star.
;Given name
*[[Brian Warner]] (musician), Better known by his stage name, Marilyn Manson
*[[Brian Alderson]] (1950-1997), Scottish footballer
*[[Brian Bell (musician)]] (born 1968), member of American rock group Weezer
*[[Brian Blessed]] (born 1937), English actor
*[[Brian Boru]] (941-1014), Irish king who overthrew the centuries-long domination of the Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill
*[[Brian Cowen]] (born 1960), current [[Taoiseach]] (Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland
*[[Brian De Palma]] (born 1940), American film director
*[[Brian Eno]] (born 1948), English electronic musician, music theorist and record producer
*[[Brian Epstein]] (1934–1967), English businessperson, manager of The Beatles
*[[Brian Johnson]] (born 1947), member and lead vocalist of the hard rock band [[AC/DC]]
*[[Brian Johnston]] (1912-1994), British cricket commentator
*[[Brian Jones]] (1942-1969), founding member, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist in the English rock group [[The Rolling Stones]]
*[[Brian Joo]] (born 1981), American-born Korean singer, former member of the R&B duo Fly to the Sky
*[[Brian Jossie]] (born 1977), American professional wrestler performing under the ring name of ''Abraham Washington''
*[[Brian Lara]] (born 1969), former West Indian cricketer
*[[Brian Laudrup]] (born 1969), former Danish international soccer player
*[[Brian Littrell]] (born 1975), member of the boy band, The Backstreet Boys
*[[Brian May]] (born 1947), famous guitarist from the band, Queen
*[[Brian McKnight]] (born 1969), R&B singer
*[[Brian Molko]] (born 1972), lead vocalist of the band [[Placebo (band)|Placebo]]
*[[Brian O'Driscoll]] (born 1979), Irish rugby player
*[[Brian Paddick]] (born 1958), British politician
*[[Brian Peaker]] (born 1959), Canadian rower
*[[Brian Piccolo]] (1943–1970), American [[American football|football]] player for the [[Chicago Bears]] and subject of the famous TV movie ''[[Brian's Song]]''
*[[Brian Retterer]] (born 1972), American swimmer
*[[Brian Smith (disambiguation)]], ''several people''
*[[Brian Urlacher]] (born 1978), American football player for the Chicago Bears
*[[Brian Westbrook]] (born 1979), American [[American football|football]] player for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]
*[[Brian Wilson]] (born 1942), member of American music group, The Beach Boys
*[[Brian Viloria]] (born 1980), American boxer
==Other uses==
Some films and television shows which contain the name Brian include:
* ''[[Brian's Song]]'' (1971, 2001)
* ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]'' (1979)
* [[Brian Kinney]], popular character on [[Queer_as_Folk_(North_American_TV_series)|Queer as Folk (US)]] played by [[Gale Harold]]
* ''[[What About Brian]]'', television series that began in 2006
* [[Brian Griffin]], character on [[Family Guy]] voiced by [[Seth MacFarlane]]
* [[Burying Brian]], mini New Zealand TV series
==Software==
* [[Brian (software)]], software package for neural network simulations
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==See also==
* [[Special:Allpages/Brian|Articles beginning with "Brian"]]
{{given name}}
{{disambig}}
[[Category:Celtic-language surnames]]
[[Category:English-language given names]]
[[Category:Gaelic-language given names]]
[[Category:Irish masculine given names]]
[[Category:Irish-language surnames]]
[[Category:French-language surnames]]
[[Category:Occitan-language surnames]]
[[es:Brian]]
[[fr:Brian]]
[[ja:ブライアン]]
[[pt:Brian]]' |
New page wikitext, after the edit (new_wikitext ) | '{{Infobox given name
| name = Brian' |