Brooke is English in origin specifically meaning small stream. Originally, Brooke was a unisex name but it’s recently considered feminine.
The name is borrowed from Olde English term “broc” indicating a “stream” or “brook”. She would later be assigned to people dwelling close to the topographical feature as means of identification.
Brooke owes much of her popularity to New York socialist, Brooke Astor (1950s) and Brooke Shields (late 1970s) when she emerged from obscurity to a coveted spot on top 100 most favored girl names in 1979.
Her best year came in the early 2000s when she landed a spot #43 on American naming charts. Brooke would later lose her position on the top 100 list in 2012.
Today, Brooke’s popularity has been replaced by the more fashionable Brooklyn. However, she remains cool and some parents still find her appealing. When I hear Brooke, I visualize a stream of water trudging down a babbling brook.