Aidan
Meaning of Aidan
Aidan—pronounced simply AY-den—began life centuries ago on the mist-kissed shores of Ireland as Aodhán, “little fire,” and, like a wandering spark, has drifted across time and oceans to warm today’s nurseries. Legend recalls Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, the gentle missionary whose kindness spread through Northumbria as swiftly as llamas de alegría, giving the name an aura of quiet courage. In the United States, that ember ignited in the late 1990s, flared to a brilliant peak inside the Top 40 by 2003, and now glows steadily in the 200s—proof that a steady flame sometimes outlasts a flashy blaze. Parents tend to choose Aidan for boys blessed with quick curiosity, easy laughter, and a mischievous spark in their eyes; after all, quién lleva fuego lleva luz—who carries fire carries light. With Celtic roots, saintly credentials, and a meaning that practically crackles, Aidan offers a warm, spirited choice for a new son, playful enough for the sandbox yet dignified enough for a future business card.
Pronunciation
American English
- Pronunced as AY-den (/ˈeɪ.dən/)
British English
- Pronunced as AY-dun (/ˈeɪ.dən/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Aidan
| Irish monk and missionary Aidan of Lindisfarne founded Lindisfarne Priory, served as its first bishop, and tirelessly helped convert the Anglo Saxons of Northumbria to Christianity. |
| Aidan Murphy, known as Aidan Gillen, is an Irish actor who has won three Irish Film and Television Awards and earned nominations for BAFTA Television, British Independent Film, Tony, and Drama Desk honors. |
| Aidan Turner is an Irish actor best known for Being Human, playing Kili in The Hobbit trilogy, and starring as Ross Poldark in Poldark. |
| Aidan Quinn is an American actor known for dozens of films including Desperately Seeking Susan and Legends of the Fall, and for playing Captain Thomas Gregson on the CBS series Elementary. |
| American actor and musician Aidan Gallagher rose from the Nickelodeon series Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn to his breakout as Number Five on The Umbrella Academy, and in 2018 became one of the youngest UN Environment Goodwill Ambassadors. |
| Aidan McGrath is an Irish youth activist and former president of Ireland's National Youth Organisation who twice represented Fingal in Dail na Nog, chaired Swords and Fingal youth councils, served on county policy committees, and won national leadership awards. |
| Aidan O'Shea is a Gaelic footballer from County Kerry who teaches PE and Geography in Tralee and is the son of Kerry legend Jack O'Shea. |
| Aidan O'Shea is an Irish Gaelic footballer for Breaffy and Mayo and captains Breaffy's senior team. |
| Aidan Mark Sprot was a British Army officer awarded an immediate Military Cross who later served as Lord Lieutenant of Tweeddale. |
| Aidan Walsh is an Irish boxer. |
