How to say it
KAI · den
/ˈkeɪ.dən/
Masculine
Kaiden
Battle, or modern coinage
What it means
Modern American respelling of Caden, ultimately from the Irish Mac Cadáin ('son of Cadán,' from cath 'battle'). Part of the early-2000s -aden cluster (Aiden, Jayden, Brayden, Hayden).
Kaiden is a modern American respelling of Caden, ultimately from the anglicized Irish surname Mac Cadáin ('son of Cadán,' from the Old Irish cath, 'battle'). The K-and-I-spelling is part of the early-2000s -aden cluster (Aiden, Jayden, Brayden, Hayden) that drives much of contemporary US naming. The Kaiden spelling specifically surfaced post-2005 and has been steady in the US top 200 to 300 since 2013. The cluster as a whole, counting all spellings of Aiden/Caden/Jayden/Brayden and their variants, would top the boys' charts if combined. Common short: Kai.
Popularity over time
peaked at #122 in 2013, currently #237 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
Kaiden (K-AI), Kayden (K-AY), Caden (C-A), Cayden (C-AY), and Kaden (K-A) are all the same name; the spelling diversity is itself a feature of the modern -aden cluster.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Kaiden Guhle Canadian NHL defenseman, Montreal Canadiens
Spelling variants
- Caden
- Cayden
- Kayden
- Kaden
Names with the same feeling
See Kaiden from another angle
By meaning
By style