Fun Facts About the Name Cady
- More than 2 thousand babies named Cady: U.S. records list 2,454 babies given the name Cady from 1880 through 2025. Even 20 boys received the name Cady - about 1 boy for every 122 girls.
What Does the Name Cady Mean?
Cady is an English surname used as a given name, and its meaning is uncertain because it is usually treated as a variant of the surname Cade, whose origin is not settled. The explanation given most often is that Cade comes from the Middle English word cade, a cask or barrel, which English took from Latin cadus and Greek kados. On that reading the surname began as a nickname or an occupational name for a cooper or for a dealer in barrels and barreled goods such as salted fish, and the literal sense would be "cask" or "barrel." Other references derive Cade instead from a medieval personal name, which would give a different, personal-name origin. Because the surviving early records do not clearly separate these possibilities, no single meaning for Cady is established. Despite the similar sound, Cady is not usually explained as a form of Katherine or Katie.
Cady Name History & Origins
Cady is a surname found in England and Ireland, and the parent form Cade is on record in England by the 15th century. Jack Cade, who led a rebellion in Kent in 1450 and briefly held London, is the best-known medieval bearer; the surname was already in use in his lifetime and was not created by his rising. In Ireland the name Cady is also found as a family name, and some Irish bearers may descend from a Gaelic name that was anglicized to this spelling, though which Gaelic name that was is not certain.
Emigrants carried the surname to North America, where the best-known bearer is Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815 - 1902), the American abolitionist and women's rights advocate. She was born Elizabeth Cady, a daughter of the lawyer and judge Daniel Cady of Johnstown, New York, and she kept her maiden name after marrying Henry Brewster Stanton.
As a first name, Cady is used mainly for girls and is a transferred use of the surname rather than a traditional personal name. The spelling with a final -y sets it apart from Cade, which is now more often a boy's name. The name appears in the 2004 film Mean Girls as the character Cady Heron, and the American singer Cady Groves (1989 - 2020) is another bearer.
How Popular is the Name Cady?
Cady has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1992. Its best rank was #1,138 in 1992.
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 | #9,574 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #7,635 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #6,205 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2022 | #4,926 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2021 | #5,788 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #4,904 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 2019 | #7,084 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2018 | #4,250 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2017 | #5,392 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2016 | #4,879 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2015 | #5,321 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2014 | #3,937 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 2013 | #5,039 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2012 | #6,152 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2011 | #4,947 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2010 | #3,969 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 2009 | #3,261 | 51 | 0.0028% |
| 2008 | #3,063 | 56 | 0.0030% |
| 2007 | #3,341 | 50 | 0.0026% |
| 2006 | #2,584 | 70 | 0.0037% |
| 2005 | #2,124 | 87 | 0.0047% |
| 2004 | #2,241 | 78 | 0.0042% |
| 2003 | #2,678 | 59 | 0.0032% |
| 2002 | #2,419 | 66 | 0.0037% |
| 2001 | #2,291 | 70 | 0.0039% |
| 2000 | #2,635 | 56 | 0.0031% |
| 1999 | #2,020 | 77 | 0.0043% |
| 1998 | #2,251 | 63 | 0.0036% |
| 1997 | #1,946 | 74 | 0.0043% |
| 1996 | #1,999 | 70 | 0.0040% |
| 1995 | #1,493 | 106 | 0.0060% |
| 1994 | #1,456 | 109 | 0.0061% |
| 1993 | #1,336 | 125 | 0.0069% |
| 1992 | #1,138 | 155 | 0.0084% |
| 1991 | #1,150 | 154 | 0.0082% |
| 1990 | #1,155 | 149 | 0.0078% |
| 1989 | #2,124 | 58 | 0.0031% |
| 1988 | #2,335 | 47 | 0.0026% |
| 1987 | #3,036 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1986 | #3,769 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1985 | #3,258 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1984 | #6,364 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1983 | #4,498 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1982 | #8,335 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #5,292 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #4,011 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1979 | #5,793 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1978 | #6,001 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #6,411 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1976 | #6,691 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #6,023 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1974 | #7,804 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #7,376 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #8,122 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | #5,836 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #6,029 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #5,217 | 7 | 0.0004% |
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 Cady Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Cady's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Cady's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.