ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tʊ ˈaɪlɚt ˈɛkwɔːl ðə kənsˈaɪs ˈɑːksfɚd dˈɪkʃənˌɛɹi ʌv ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ plˈeɪsnˈeɪmz ðə lˈaɪkli ˈɔːɹɪdʒˌɪn ʌvðə nˈeɪm ɪz "bɹˈændən, jˈuːʒuːəli hˈɪl wˌɛɹ bɹˈuːm ɡɹˈoʊz", ðɪ ˈɜːlɪɪst nˈoʊn spˈɛlɪŋ bˌiːɪŋ ɪnðɪ ɪlˈɛvənθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi wɛn ðə tˈaʊn, ɡɹˈædʒuːəli ɛkspˈændɪŋ ˌʌp ænd ɐlˈɔŋ ðə ɹˈaɪzɪŋ ɡɹˈaʊnd ʌvðə ɹˈɪvɚ vˈæli, wʌz kˈɔːld bɹˈɑːmdʌn.
According to Eilert Ekwall (The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names) the likely origin of the name is "Brandon, usually 'hill where broom grows'", the earliest known spelling being in the 11th century when the town, gradually expanding up and along the rising ground of the river valley, was called Bromdun.