Aithan
An Arabic masculine name meaning "sign" or "miracle".
Name Census estimates that about 260 living Americans carry the first name Aithan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Aithan today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aithan births was 2023 (35 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aithan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Aithan with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
260
~ 1 in 1,318,286 Americans
Peak year
2023
35 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,309
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Aithan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Aithan from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 129 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aithan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Aithan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Aithans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Aithan, while New York, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Aithan
The given name Aithan has its origins in ancient Celtic cultures, tracing back to the early medieval period of the 5th to 10th centuries. It is derived from the Old Irish word "aithne," which means "fire" or "flame." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals with fiery personalities or those born under auspicious astrological circumstances involving fire.
In the early days, the name Aithan was predominantly found among Celtic populations in regions such as Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Wales. Its earliest recorded use can be traced back to ancient Irish manuscripts and genealogical records, where it appears as a personal name for both men and women.
One of the earliest known historical figures bearing the name Aithan was a 6th-century Irish monk and scribe who resided in the monastery of Iona, an island off the west coast of Scotland. His name is mentioned in several monastic chronicles for his contributions to the preservation of ancient Celtic literature and religious texts.
In the 9th century, an Irish king named Aithan mac Conchobair ruled over the kingdom of Connacht, a region in the west of Ireland. Historical accounts depict him as a formidable warrior and leader who successfully defended his lands against Viking invasions.
During the 12th century, a renowned Welsh bard and poet named Aithan ap Gwilym gained recognition for his lyrical compositions and contributions to the preservation of Welsh literary traditions. His works were widely celebrated and often performed at the courts of Welsh princes.
In the 14th century, an influential Scottish cleric and philosopher named Aithan of Dunfermline made significant contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time. His treatises on theology and ethics were widely studied and debated in academic circles across medieval Europe.
Another notable figure bearing the name Aithan was a 16th-century Irish chieftain from the O'Neill clan, who played a pivotal role in the Nine Years' War against English rule in Ireland. His military exploits and defiance against the English crown were celebrated in Irish folklore and songs.
While the name Aithan has existed for centuries, its usage has become less common in modern times, particularly outside of Celtic regions. However, it remains a unique and historically significant name that carries the essence of ancient Celtic cultures and their reverence for fire and the natural elements.
People
Aithan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aithan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Aithan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aithan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 260 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aithan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,318,286 US residents.
Is Aithan a common name?
We classify Aithan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 262 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Aithan most popular?
The single biggest year for Aithan was 2023, when 35 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aithan is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Aithan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Aithan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Aithan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Aithan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Aithan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Aithan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Aithan?
See how many Americans are named Aithan on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.