Cadian
An invented feminine name variant of "Cadiz", the Spanish city name.
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Cadian. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cadian today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cadian births was 2010 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cadian. 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 Cadian. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
2010
7 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2010 SSA rank
#9,848
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Cadian: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Cadian 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 Cadian during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Cadian
The name Cadian has its origins in ancient Mesopotamia, where it was derived from the Akkadian word "qadu," meaning "to praise" or "to honor." It was a popular name among the Akkadian and Babylonian civilizations, which flourished in the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from around 2350 BCE to 539 BCE.
In ancient Mesopotamian texts, particularly in cuneiform inscriptions and clay tablets, several references to individuals bearing the name Cadian can be found. One notable example is Cadian-Bel, a high-ranking official who served under King Sargon of Akkad in the 24th century BCE. His name, which translates to "Cadian is Lord," suggests that he held a position of great importance and authority.
As the name spread beyond its Mesopotamian origins, it underwent various spelling and pronunciation changes. In ancient Greek texts, it appeared as "Kadion," while in Latin records, it was written as "Cadius" or "Cadianus." These variations reflect the influence of different languages and cultures on the name's evolution over time.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Cadian. One of the earliest recorded examples is Cadian of Larissa, a Greek philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 5th century BCE. He is credited with developing the Cadian problem, a geometric construction involving the duplication of a cube using only a straightedge and compass.
In the 3rd century CE, Cadian of Miletus was a renowned architect and engineer who designed and constructed several impressive public works, including the Temple of Apollo at Miletus and the Cadian Aqueduct, which supplied water to the city of Ephesus.
During the Byzantine era, Cadian the Younger was a renowned scholar and theologian who lived in the 6th century CE. He is best known for his work on the interpretation of the Bible and his contributions to the development of Christian theology.
In the 12th century, Cadian of Antioch was a prominent crusader and military leader who participated in the Third Crusade. He played a crucial role in the successful siege of Acre in 1191 and was renowned for his bravery and strategic prowess on the battlefield.
Another notable figure bearing the name Cadian was Cadian of Reims, a French architect and master builder who lived in the 13th century. He was responsible for the design and construction of the iconic Reims Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
These examples illustrate the rich history and cultural significance of the name Cadian, which has been borne by individuals from various backgrounds and eras, including philosophers, architects, engineers, theologians, and military leaders.
People
Cadian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cadian as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cadian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cadian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cadian 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 Cadian a common name?
We classify Cadian 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 Cadian most popular?
The single biggest year for Cadian was 2010, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cadian is about 16 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 Cadian in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cadian a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cadian 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 Cadian still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cadian 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 Cadian 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 Cadian?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.