How to say it
KA · den
/ˈkeɪ.dən/
Masculine
Kaden
A modern coinage
What it means
A modern American name in the Aiden / Jayden rhyming family; sometimes tied to the Welsh Caden, 'spirit of battle.'
Kaden is a child of the great Aiden / Jayden / Brayden naming wave of the 1990s and 2000s, when the -aden ending was everywhere. It has no single ancient root, though some link it to the Welsh Caden, 'spirit of battle,' or an Arabic word for 'companion.' It runs in a thicket of spellings, Kaden, Caden, Kayden, Cayden, all said the same. Kade is the short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #92 in 2006, currently #328 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Kaden, Caden, Kayden, and Cayden are interchangeable spellings.
- Nickname
Kade is the natural short.
Spelling variants
- Caden
- Kayden
- Cayden