 Bredenbek was first mentioned in the year 1264 in the town's book of Kiel, named as "de Bradenbeke".The name of "Bredenbek" consists of two Low German words, "brede" for "flat" and "bek" for "creek".The original Bredenbek creek, a feeder of the Eider River, once flowed through the area of the village, but nowadays flows underground through pipes.