It's absolutely fitting, considering the diversity of the US and the mix between tradition and progress, that at number 40 in 2010, following one of the most ancient names in the world (Isaac) is Brayden, a modern name that has been at the Top 100 list of the most popular boys' names in the US for only five years, and at the Top 1000 list for no more than 20 years.
Brayden is a variant of Braden, which is actually a name with a history and a Gaelic origins. Braden, however, has never been very popular in the US. It is currently at number 207 on the list. Brayden's popularity can be attributed to the recent American fashion of having names with a dominant letter Y (the most popular of these is currently at number 4: Jayden). Whether this is a fad or the start of an American tradition remains to be seen.
