Blaid
A Welsh variant of the name Bleddyn, meaning "wolf cub" or "yellow-haired one".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Blaid. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Blaid today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Blaid births was 1993 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Blaid. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Blaid. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1993
7 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
1993 SSA rank
#6,895
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Blaid: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Blaid 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 Blaid during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Blaid
The name Blaid has its origins in the ancient Celtic language of Brythonic, which was spoken in parts of Britain and France during the Iron Age and Roman era. It is derived from the Proto-Celtic root *bldtos, meaning "wolf" or "predator." This suggests that Blaid may have initially been a nickname or epithet bestowed upon warriors or hunters known for their ferocity or skill in battle.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Blaid can be found in the Welsh mythological cycle of stories known as the Mabinogion. In the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, a character named Blaid Vychan (Blaid the Little) is mentioned as one of the companions of the hero Culhwch. This text is believed to have been compiled from earlier oral traditions sometime between the 11th and 13th centuries.
During the Middle Ages, the name Blaid appears to have been relatively uncommon, but not entirely unheard of. A notable bearer of the name was Blaid ap Cynfyn (c. 1030–1090), a Welsh prince and ruler of the Kingdom of Gwynedd in the late 11th century. He played a significant role in the political and military struggles of his time, and his name is recorded in several contemporary chronicles and genealogies.
In the 16th century, the name Blaid gained some prominence in Wales through the figure of Blaid Cwynion (c. 1510–1580), a renowned Welsh bard and poet. His works, which were widely circulated in manuscript form during his lifetime, helped to keep the name alive in Welsh culture.
Another notable bearer of the name was Blaid Mewrig (c. 1660–1730), a Welsh scholar and antiquarian who is remembered for his contributions to the study of Welsh language and literature. He compiled numerous manuscripts and transcribed many important works, helping to preserve the cultural heritage of Wales.
While the name Blaid has never been particularly common, it has maintained a presence in Welsh tradition and literature over the centuries. Its association with wolves and hunting, as well as its distinctly Celtic origins, have likely contributed to its enduring appeal among those with an interest in Welsh culture and history.
People
Blaid + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Blaid as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Blaid: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Blaid?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Blaid 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Blaid a common name?
We classify Blaid as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Blaid most popular?
The single biggest year for Blaid was 1993, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Blaid is about 32 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 Blaid in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Blaid a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Blaid 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 Blaid still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Blaid 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 Blaid 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 Blaid?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.