The suburb was gazetted on 6 June 1968 and named for The Viscount Bruce of Melbourne (1883–1967), the eighth Prime Minister of Australia and the first Chancellor of the Australian National University.

[3] The Fern Hill section of the suburb was originally planned as a hub for information and communications technology businesses, with some low-rise office buildings being developed off Thynne Street, along with a small commercial centre including a cafe.

However, the area has seen considerable residential development, with densities ranging from detached houses through to four-story apartment buildings, with commercial ground floor uses.

Many of the streets in Bruce are named after people and places associated with Australian tertiary education, including:[2] The suburb is also relatively well-served by public transport, with routes R2, R3 and R4 running through it via the Calvary Hospital, Radford College, and the University of Canberra.

[9] Additionally, a number of cycle routes provide links to the Inner North, Belconnen Town Centre, and Kaleen.