Brayan (also El Brayan) is a Spanish-speaking pejorative slang term commonly used to refer to a young man from a low-income background, raised in barrio (impoverished neighborhoods), who is often portrayed as a gang member, a school dropout, and having dark skin. The term is frequently depicted in memes showing young men of color wearing sportswear, baseball caps, tattoos and chains, and is often associated with criminal activity and street robberies, in addition to a musical taste for reggaeton and hip-hop. Although Brayan is the most used name in Hispanic America countries, others such as "Brandon", "Dylan" or "Kevin" have also been used (the latter also has a stereotypical connotation in Germany, but with a different meaning).
The female equivalent of the term is "Brittany" (or La Brittany), represented as a hypersexual woman who gets pregnant at a young age, wears bangs, piercings, colorful hair, tattoos, and tight pants.
The term has been criticized by some as racist, classist, and ageist.
The term is believed to have originated in Argentina in the early 2010s, when a WhatsApp audio recording of a drunk woman saying, "Hi, Brian... I love you, Brian," went viral. Later, users from Mexico created parodies, impersonating "El Brayan" in videos, satirically represent a young man from a low socioeconomic background, often unfairly associated with delinquency, wearing baggy hip-hop or reggaeton clothing, and having adapted Anglo-Saxon names (in this case, Brian).
In September 2025, Colombian President Gustavo Petro used the term during a Cabinet meeting when referring to men who leave women pregnant and alone with their children. "Lost in life, I call them 'Brayans.' In every poor neighborhood there's a 'Brayan' who takes women off to who knows where, and then leaves them pregnant and abandoned," he declared. Social media influencer Brayan Mantilla satirized PetroâÂÂs remarks by calling for a DÃÂa Nacional de los Brayans ("National Brayan's Day") and founded the Colombian Brayan Association. The Colombian branch of Burger King offered special deals for customers named Brayan.
The term has been criticized for perpetuating racist and classist stereotypes among teenagers and social media users. The use of the term standardizes and generalizes the members of a dispossessed social class, and can lead young people -both men and women- to low self-esteem and the internalization of the idea that they have no chance of improving their situation. In Mexico, several parents have avoided naming their children with this name to prevent the potential bullying they would receive due to the stereotype.
In Germany, the name "Kevin" has been associated with young men from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are more likely to seek attention and perform worse academically than those with traditional German names. However, they are rarely stereotyped as delinquents, unlike "Brayan".