Fun Facts About the Name Aidan
- More than 121 thousand babies named Aidan: U.S. records list 121,140 babies given the name Aidan from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,727 girls received the name Aidan - about 1 girl for every 43 boys.
What Does the Name Aidan Mean?
Aidan is the English form of the Irish name Aodhán, which is a diminutive of Aodh. The Old Irish word áed means 'fire,' and the ending -án gives a diminutive sense, so the name is usually understood as 'little fire.' Aodh was a common personal name in early Ireland and was borne by kings and saints. Some later explanations render the meaning as 'fiery' or 'born of fire,' but those are customary or symbolic readings rather than the literal etymology. The similar-sounding Adam comes from Hebrew and is not related.
Aidan Name History & Origins
The name began as the Irish personal name Aodhán. It was borne by early Irish churchmen, most notably St. Aidan of Lindisfarne, who died in 651. He was an Irish monk from Iona who was invited to Northumbria to restore Christian practice, became bishop there, and established a monastery on Lindisfarne. The Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People describes his missionary work, and the Latin form Aidanus appears in medieval records. Another early bearer was St. Aidan of Ferns, an Irish bishop who died in the seventh century.
Through Irish and English contact, Aodhán was anglicized as Aidan, and the spelling Aiden is a later English variant. The name remained in use in Ireland and Britain, where it was reinforced by the memory of the saints. In the modern period it spread in English-speaking countries, but its documented history rests on the Irish Aodhán and the early church figures who bore it.
How Popular is the Name Aidan?
Aidan recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2003. Aidan entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 2001.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,953 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #12,162 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #9,071 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #5,749 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #5,005 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 2019 | #7,350 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2018 | #7,413 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2017 | #6,049 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2016 | #6,191 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2015 | #5,467 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #5,994 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #4,890 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2012 | #3,712 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 2011 | #3,132 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 2010 | #3,309 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 2009 | #2,376 | 81 | 0.0044% |
| 2008 | #1,800 | 121 | 0.0064% |
| 2007 | #1,713 | 127 | 0.0066% |
| 2006 | #1,365 | 169 | 0.0089% |
| 2005 | #1,378 | 156 | 0.0084% |
| 2004 | #1,140 | 200 | 0.0109% |
| 2003 | #1,006 | 229 | 0.0125% |
| 2002 | #1,104 | 191 | 0.0106% |
| 2001 | #1,090 | 194 | 0.0108% |
| 2000 | #1,310 | 145 | 0.0080% |
| 1999 | #1,329 | 135 | 0.0076% |
| 1998 | #1,762 | 89 | 0.0050% |
| 1997 | #1,766 | 85 | 0.0049% |
| 1996 | #1,994 | 70 | 0.0040% |
| 1995 | #1,669 | 88 | 0.0050% |
| 1994 | #3,235 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1993 | #2,990 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1992 | #3,037 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1991 | #5,401 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1990 | #5,551 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1989 | #5,293 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #4,172 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1987 | #5,613 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #4,726 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #5,352 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1984 | #5,544 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #6,219 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #6,893 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #6,806 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #5,918 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #9,023 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #6,671 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #326 | 1,043 | 0.0611% |
| 2024 | #312 | 1,092 | 0.0637% |
| 2023 | #300 | 1,113 | 0.0651% |
| 2022 | #296 | 1,160 | 0.0665% |
| 2021 | #286 | 1,208 | 0.0691% |
| 2020 | #261 | 1,328 | 0.0770% |
| 2019 | #243 | 1,543 | 0.0860% |
| 2018 | #242 | 1,571 | 0.0865% |
| 2017 | #221 | 1,734 | 0.0937% |
| 2016 | #191 | 2,115 | 0.1115% |
| 2015 | #185 | 2,265 | 0.1182% |
| 2014 | #187 | 2,280 | 0.1187% |
| 2013 | #146 | 2,675 | 0.1414% |
| 2012 | #116 | 3,225 | 0.1700% |
| 2011 | #107 | 3,721 | 0.1959% |
| 2010 | #94 | 4,309 | 0.2246% |
| 2009 | #72 | 5,811 | 0.2930% |
| 2008 | #59 | 7,708 | 0.3779% |
| 2007 | #54 | 8,425 | 0.4060% |
| 2006 | #44 | 10,035 | 0.4883% |
| 2005 | #43 | 9,759 | 0.4886% |
| 2004 | #40 | 9,824 | 0.4950% |
| 2003 | #39 | 10,067 | 0.5097% |
| 2002 | #60 | 6,954 | 0.3582% |
| 2001 | #86 | 4,632 | 0.2384% |
| 2000 | #114 | 3,296 | 0.1678% |
| 1999 | #166 | 2,213 | 0.1153% |
| 1998 | #196 | 1,703 | 0.0891% |
| 1997 | #222 | 1,382 | 0.0733% |
| 1996 | #259 | 1,093 | 0.0577% |
| 1995 | #282 | 973 | 0.0511% |
| 1994 | #440 | 517 | 0.0268% |
| 1993 | #557 | 332 | 0.0169% |
| 1992 | #630 | 269 | 0.0135% |
| 1991 | #797 | 167 | 0.0083% |
| 1990 | #890 | 134 | 0.0065% |
| 1989 | #1,184 | 81 | 0.0040% |
| 1988 | #1,427 | 54 | 0.0028% |
| 1987 | #1,399 | 52 | 0.0028% |
| 1986 | #1,118 | 71 | 0.0039% |
| 1985 | #1,304 | 54 | 0.0029% |
| 1984 | #1,691 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 1983 | #1,905 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1982 | #1,929 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1981 | #1,661 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1980 | #1,965 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1979 | #2,312 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1978 | #1,718 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 1977 | #2,557 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #1,932 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 1975 | #2,205 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1974 | #2,800 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1973 | #2,405 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1972 | #2,993 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #4,379 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #2,512 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1969 | #2,415 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1968 | #2,576 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #2,762 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1966 | #2,466 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1965 | #3,247 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #4,045 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,306 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #3,079 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1959 | #2,823 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1958 | #3,279 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #3,554 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1936 | #3,554 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Aidan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Aidan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Aidan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.