The words Brer and bruh both originated as written forms of a spoken alteration of the word brother that is used especially in southern African American English. Brer appears most commonly today in written versions of African American folktales (such as those popularized by Joel Chandler Harris), where it occurs as a capitalized title before a male character’s first name.
“These are traditional African American folktales crossed with Cherokee and Creek folktales,” says [Honorée Fanonne] Jeffers of The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus—a compilation of children’s stories that detail the adventures of characters like Brer Rabbit and Brer Wolf.
— Tembe Denton-Hurst
… folktales with African roots, introducing Brers Fox, Rabbit, Wolf, and Bear.
— Judy Freeman
The word bruh is also sometimes used in this way.
The little animals held a sit-down talk, and one by one and two by two and all by all, they decide to go see Bruh Bear and Bruh Rabbit.
— Virginia Hamilton
Bruh.
Seriously wondering if Brer Rabbit is supposed to be pronounced like Bruh Rabbit, and not rhyming with “rare” or “bear”.
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