Given name & surname
Chad
“one who is warlike”
Chad is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “one who is warlike.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “one who is warlike.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is English, although the derivation remains uncertain.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1914. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Chad through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 241,767
- 240,728 boys · 1,039 girls
- Most popular year
- 1972
- 13,441 babies
- 2025
- 96
- #1,701 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −46%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 96 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,701 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 45.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 13,392 in 1972. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (10). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 209,144 as a first name in 2020; 319 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Chad’s family of names
In English usage, Chad is a nickname for Charles. Chad has a related form in Chadd. In English usage, Chad is a nickname for Chadwick.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Charlesfull form · English
- Chadwickfull form · English
- Chadrickvariant
- Chadricvariant
- Chaddvariant
- Chaddydiminutive · English
- Chadrykvariant
- Chadrycvariant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
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 Chad
- Chad Michael MurrayAmerican actorborn 1981
- Chad McQueenAmerican actor and racecar driver (1960–2024)
- Chad HurleyAmerican businessman, co-founder of YouTubeborn 1977
- Chad SmithAmerican drummerborn 1961
- Chad KroegerCanadian rock musicianborn 1974
- Chad TrujilloAmerican astronomerborn 1973
- Chad le ClosSouth African swimmerborn 1992
- Chad L. ColemanAmerican actorborn 1974
- Chad StahelskiAmerican stuntman and film directorborn 1968
Characters named Chad: Chad Danforth (High School Musical character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Chad, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Charlton
“from the free man's town”
>99% boys
Chet
“a vivacious woman”
>99% boys
Shane
“God is gracious”
98% boys · 2% girls
Chip
“one who bears Christ inside”
>99% boys
Ladd
“a servant; a young man”
>99% boys
Brent
“from the hill”
>99% boys
Todd
“resembling a fox”
>99% boys
Brad
“one who has broad shoulders”
>99% boys