Bruce: Derived from Scotland and into the Americas
The name Bruce is very interesting for many reasons. In Scotland, the name Bruce is a traditional and common name for babies. This may have something to do with the rich history of the land. In the 14th century Scotland, the name Bruce was made very popular by King Robert (the Bruce). He was known for his patience because of his ability to sit and watch spiders spin webs. More recently it was the 39th most popular name for boys in Scotland in 2012 and it is now very popular in the United States as well.
What is the meaning of Bruce?
The most well known meaning of Bruce is “thick brush”. The name originally arrived in Scotland by way of the Normans. It’s traditional meaning at that time was “the Willowlands”.
Famous People Called Bruce
There are several entertainers named Bruce, including Bruce Springfield and Bruce Lee. These wildly popular men were strong and prominent figures in their industry; Bruce Springfield being a rock musician and singer and Bruce Lee being a Martial Arts master. Bruce Willis is also a very outstanding actor that is blessed with this popular name. This actor can be seen in the film, “Die Hard”.
Considering the name “Bruce” is such a common name, no wonder it is so popular. We must thank the Scottish for making this title a traditional household name.
Useful Resources
- See our extensive list of Scottish boys names.
Scottish Boys Names: Bruce
It was perseverance, not patience, that King Robert I is reputed to have learned from watching a spider.
The legend (with variations) is that, tired and dispirited from an unsuccessful battle against the invading English, he took refuge in a cave. As he lay recovering and wondering if he should just give up the fight, he noticed a spider building a web nearby. Before the spider could complete the web he reached up and broke the web. Undaunted, the spider simply started building the web again but each time, before it could finish it, King Robert would break the web. This sequence of events was repeated several times with the spider never being allowed to complete the task. Eventually, however, the King fell asleep – and when he awoke, there above him was the completed spider’s web. The spider had beaten him by sheer perseverance. He took the lesson to heart and applied it to his war against the English invaders, eventually winning the final victory at Bannockburn, near Stirling, in the year 1314 (700 years ago this year).