UK boy's name
Aayden
A variant of the masculine name Aiden meaning "little fire".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Aayden is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Aayden popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3334, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 5 births.
This profile covers 23 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2012 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 23 living people in the UK are called Aayden. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Aayden ranked #3334 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 5 boys were registered as Aayden.
- • About 23 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aayden as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3334
2020
Births in 2020
5
Latest year
Peak year
2019
5 births
Estimated living
23
2026
Meaning
What does Aayden mean?
The name Aayden is a relatively modern variation of the traditional English name Aiden, which itself is a derivation of the Irish Gaelic name Áedán. The origins of Áedán can be traced back to the ancient Celtic word "aed," meaning "fire" or "bringer of fire." This linguistic root underscores the name's fiery and passionate connotations.
While the name Aayden is a contemporary spelling, its Irish Gaelic predecessor, Áedán, has a rich historical lineage. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was Saint Áedán of Ferns, a 7th-century Irish monk and bishop who founded the monastery of Ferns in County Wexford. His life and teachings are chronicled in various medieval Irish hagiographies.
Another notable figure was Áedán mac Gabráin, a 6th-century king of the Scottish kingdom of Dál Riata. He played a pivotal role in the Battle of Degsastan in 603 AD, where he allied with the Northumbrians against the invading Angles. This battle is mentioned in the medieval work "Historia Brittonum" by the Welsh monk Nennius.
In the realm of literature, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aayden appears in the 12th-century Irish saga "Acallam na Senórach" (Colloquy of the Ancients), which features a character named Áedán mac Fergusa.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne variations of this name. One such figure was Aidan of Lindisfarne (c. 590-651), an Irish monk and missionary who played a crucial role in the Christianization of Northumbria. His life and influence are detailed in the 8th-century work "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum" by the Venerable Bede.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Aidan Gillen (born 1968), an Irish actor best known for his roles in various films and television series, including "Game of Thrones" and "The Wire."
Other historical figures with this name include Aidan Higgins (1927-2015), an Irish novelist and short story writer; Aidan Kavanaugh (1932-2006), an American Catholic priest and liturgical scholar; and Aidan Quinn (born 1959), an American actor known for his roles in films like "Legends of the Fall" and "Practical Magic."
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Aayden over time
The chart below shows babies named Aayden registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2012 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Aayden, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2020, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aayden by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aayden was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3334 | 5 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4323 | 18 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Aayden
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Aayden: questions and answers
How popular is the name Aayden in the UK right now?
In 2020, Aayden was ranked #3334 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Aayden most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 5 babies registered as Aayden in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Aayden?
A variant of the masculine name Aiden meaning "little fire".
How many people are called Aayden in the UK?
A total of 23 babies have been registered as Aayden across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.