Blaide
An anglicized Celtic name, possibly a spelling variant of "Blade".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Blaide. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Blaide today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Blaide births was 2002 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Blaide. 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 Blaide. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2002
6 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2002 SSA rank
#9,525
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Blaide: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Blaide 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 Blaide during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Blaide
The name Blaide is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Irish word "bladh," meaning "wolf" or "wolf-like." It is believed to have emerged in the early medieval period, around the 5th to 8th centuries CE, during the time of the ancient Celtic kingdoms in what is now Ireland and parts of Scotland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Blaide can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a Blaide mac Fir da Chrich, who was a king of the Uí Fiachrach dynasty in the late 7th century CE.
Blaide was also the name of a prominent Irish saint and abbot who lived in the 6th century CE. Saint Blaide founded a monastery in Sligo, Ireland, and is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on May 16th.
In the 12th century CE, a renowned Irish poet and historian named Blaide mac Conchobair lived during the reign of the High King of Ireland, Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn. Blaide's works were highly influential in preserving the ancient traditions and legends of the Irish people.
Another notable bearer of the name was Blaide Dub mac Maíl Coluim, a Scottish king who ruled the Kingdom of Alban (modern-day Scotland) from 962 to 971 CE. He was known for his efforts to unify the various Scottish kingdoms under his rule.
In the 16th century, Blaide Óg mac Rónáin was a prominent Irish chieftain and leader of the Ó Rónáin clan in County Leitrim, Ireland. He played a significant role in the Nine Years' War against English forces, defending Irish sovereignty.
While the name Blaide has its roots in ancient Celtic cultures, it has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, primarily due to its distinct spelling and pronunciation. However, it continues to hold a special place in Irish and Scottish heritage, representing the rich cultural traditions and folklore of these regions.
People
Blaide + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Blaide 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
Blaide: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Blaide?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Blaide 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Blaide a common name?
We classify Blaide as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Blaide most popular?
The single biggest year for Blaide was 2002, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Blaide is about 24 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 Blaide in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Blaide a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Blaide 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 Blaide still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Blaide 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 Blaide 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 many people have the name Blaide?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Blaide on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.