Find out how popular the first name Aedan has been for the last 36 years (from 1988 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Aedan by gender

Based on the last 36 years of data, Aedan is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Aedan being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 34 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Aedan.

The history of the first name Aedan

The name Aedan has its origins in the Gaelic language and refers to someone who is "born of fire" or a "fiery one." It is derived from the Old Irish word "aed," which means "fire." The name has been in use since ancient times and was particularly popular in Ireland and Scotland.

The earliest known record of the name Aedan dates back to the 6th century AD, when it was borne by Aedan mac Gabrain, a king of the Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. He reigned from around 574 to 608 AD and is known for his victories against the Angles of Northumbria.

Another notable figure with this name was Aedan of Ferns, an Irish saint who lived in the 7th century AD. He was the founder of the monastery of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland, and is venerated as the patron saint of the Diocese of Ferns.

In the 9th century, Aedan mac Cennfalaid was the King of Leinster, a historic province of Ireland. He ruled from around 838 to 858 AD and is mentioned in various Irish annals for his military campaigns and conflicts with neighboring kingdoms.

During the Middle Ages, the name Aedan appeared in several manuscripts and chronicles, including the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of Tigernach, which were written by Irish monks and scholars.

In the modern era, one of the most notable bearers of the name Aedan was Aedan Petrie, an Irish historian and archaeologist who lived from 1832 to 1908. He made significant contributions to the study of Irish antiquities and was a co-founder of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.

Other historical figures with the name Aedan include Aedan Dougherty, an Irish-American labor leader in the 19th century; Aedan MacCarthy, an Irish writer and journalist in the early 20th century; and Aedan Mac Airt, an Irish politician and member of the Irish Dáil Éireann (parliament) in the 1920s.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Aedan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Aedan, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!