Aidan
/ˈeɪ.dən/
Aidan is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Aodhán, a diminutive of Aodh, meaning “fire.” The root traces back to the Old Irish word for fire, connecting the name to ancient Celtic mythology where Aodh was the god of the sun and fire.
The name gained historical prominence through Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne (died 651), an Irish monk who founded a monastery on the island of Lindisfarne in Northumbria and played a central role in the Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England.
In the United States, Aidan rose sharply in the late 1990s and early 2000s, riding a wave of Irish-origin names with the -aiden/-aden sound pattern.
What the name Aidan means
Names like Braden, Hayden, and Jayden followed a similar trajectory during this period, creating an entire phonetic family.
Aidan reached its peak at No. 39 in 2003, when thousands of American boys received the name each year. The spelling Aidan competed with Aiden, which eventually overtook it and climbed into the top 10.
By 2024, Aidan had settled at No. 312 with 1,092 births recorded that year. The name remains well-used but has moved considerably from its early-2000s heights, partly because Aiden became the dominant spelling in the late 2000s.
Aidan is also found in Scottish Gaelic tradition, where it was used by early medieval kings of Dál Riata. The name’s long history across Ireland, Scotland, and England gives it a depth that many modern-sounding names in the same phonetic family lack.
The contrast between Aidan’s ancient roots and its modern American popularity is striking. While it sounds contemporary alongside Brayden and Kayden, it carries over 1,400 years of documented use as a given name in the British Isles.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Aidan
Aidan - similar names
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