Kaden
A masculine name of Old Celtic origin meaning "fighter; battle".
Name Census estimates that about 68,911 living Americans carry the first name Kaden. It sits at #304 in the overall ranking, outside the top 50 but still well-represented. It is a predominantly male name (98.4% of registrations). The average person named Kaden today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaden births was 2006 (4,849 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaden. 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
- • Although Kaden is used almost entirely for boys, the SSA data does show 1,100 girls registered with the name since 1880.
- • Kaden is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 17 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
69K
~ 1 in 4,974 Americans
Peak year
2006
4,849 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2024 SSA rank
#304
Tracked since 1977
Gender
Gender distribution for Kaden
Kaden leans heavily male at 98.4% of total registrations, but 1,100 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Kaden as a male name
- Ranked #304 in 2024
- 1,107 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2006 (4,746 births)
Kaden as a female name
- Ranked #9,840 in 2024
- 10 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2005 (125 births)
Popularity
Kaden: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaden from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 35,390 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaden 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 Kaden during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kadens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 51 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Kaden, while Rhode Island, Vermont, District of Columbia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 1,333 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kaden
The name Kaden has its origins in the Welsh language and culture. It is derived from the Welsh word "cadan," which means "battle" or "combat." The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, when Welsh names were heavily influenced by the region's rich history of warfare and conflict.
In its earliest recorded use, the name Kaden appeared in ancient Welsh texts and manuscripts dating back to the 12th century. These early mentions often referred to valiant warriors or soldiers who had earned a reputation for their prowess on the battlefield.
One of the first notable individuals to bear the name Kaden was a Welsh military commander who lived in the late 13th century. While his exact birth and death dates are unknown, historical records indicate that he led a contingent of Welsh forces during the conflicts between the Welsh princes and the English crown.
In the 15th century, another Kaden emerged as a prominent figure in Welsh history. Born in 1423, Kaden ap Rhys was a renowned bard and poet who composed numerous works celebrating the valor of Welsh warriors and the beauty of the Welsh landscape.
During the 16th century, the name Kaden gained further recognition with the birth of Kaden Owain in 1541. A skilled diplomat and negotiator, Kaden Owain played a pivotal role in mediating disputes between the Welsh nobility and the English monarchs of the time.
As the centuries progressed, the name Kaden continued to be associated with individuals of Welsh descent who displayed strength, courage, and a deep connection to their cultural heritage. One such figure was Kaden Griffith, born in 1732, who was a respected scholar and historian renowned for his extensive research on Welsh literature and folklore.
In more recent times, the name Kaden has been carried on by notable individuals like Kaden Jones, a 19th-century Welsh industrialist who made significant contributions to the development of the coal mining industry in South Wales.
While the name Kaden has its roots firmly planted in Welsh culture and history, it has transcended its original boundaries and gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. However, its enduring legacy remains inextricably linked to the rich tapestry of Welsh tradition, embodying the spirit of valor, resilience, and a deep reverence for one's heritage.
People
Kaden + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaden as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kaden: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaden?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 68,911 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaden 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 4,974 US residents.
Is Kaden a common name?
We classify Kaden as "Uncommon". It ranks above 99.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 69,637 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaden most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaden was 2006, when 4,849 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaden is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kaden a male name?
Yes, 98.4% of people registered as Kaden 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.
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.