Given name & surname · also Gaelic
Aidan
“one who is fiery; little fire”·“a fiery young man”
Aidan is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who is fiery; little fire” and “a fiery young man” (Irish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original IrishAodhán
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who is fiery; little fire” and “a fiery young man” (Irish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Irish.
How it developed
In English usage, Aidan developed from Aodhán.
The story
The name experienced a revival in the 20th century.
Aidan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 121,158
- 118,431 boys · 2,727 girls
- Most popular year
- 2003
- 10,296 babies
- 2025
- 1,051
- #326 for boys · #10,953 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −32%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 99% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,043 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 326 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 32.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 10,067 in 2003. It also appeared in 8 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (133). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 108,843 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Aidan’s family of names
In English usage, Aidan has a diminutive in Adie. Aidan has a feminine form in Edana. In English usage, Aidan has a related form in Aiden.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Aidan has relatives in 16 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
Irishwhere Aidan comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 32
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Aidenvariant · English, Welsh
- Aydenvariant · English
- Adanvariant
- Adenvariant · English
- Aydinvariant
- Aydanvariant · English
- Aidynvariant
- Edanvariant
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- Aedanvariant
- Aaydenvariant · German, English
- Aedenvariant
- Aidinvariant
- Aydennvariant
- Aiddanlikely variant
- Aeddonvariant · Welsh
- Adiediminutive · English
- Aydannvariant
- Aidannvariant
- Aidennvariant
- Aideynvariant
- Aedynvariant
- Aedinvariant
- Aideenvariant
- Adeenvariant
- Aideynnvariant
- Aedannvariant
- Aedennvariant
- Aidanovariant · Italian
- Ajthnevariant
- Aithneavariant
- Aithnevariant
- Aeddanvariant · Welsh
Across languages 16
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Aidan
- Aidan GillenIrish actorborn 1968
- Aidan QuinnAmerican actorborn 1959
- Aidan TurnerIrish actorborn 1983
- Aidan GallagherAmerican actorborn 2003
- AidanMaltese singer and songwriter (born 1999)
- Aidan of Lindisfarne7th-century Irish monk and missionary bishop, Catholic and Orthodox saint, first bishop of Lindisfarne and Apostle of Northumbria590–651
- Áedán mac GabráinKing of Dál Riata501–608
- Aidan ChambersBritish children's writer (1934–2025)
- Aidan DodsonEnglish Egyptologist and historian (born 1962)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Aidan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Angus
“one force; one strength; one choice”
>99% boys
Declan
In Irish use, Declan is used as a form of Gaelic.
99% boys · 1% girls
Killian
“a warrior woman; of the church” · “one who is small and fierce”
98% boys · 2% girls
Kieran
“having dark features; the little dark one”
97% boys · 3% girls
Finn
“white, fair” · “one who is cool”
99% boys · 1% girls
Cormac
“a charioteer”
>99% boys
Gareth
“one who is gentle”
>99% boys
Colmán
“dove”
>99% boys