UK name, mostly boys
Aden
From the Hebrew root ʿaden meaning "pleasure, delight" or "to be soft or delicate".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Aden is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Aden popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1675, with 15 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 100 births.
This profile covers 1,104 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 15% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,190 living people in the UK are called Aden. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Aden ranked #1675 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 15 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 100 boys were registered as Aden.
- • Aden ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #398 in 2013.
- • About 1,190 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aden as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 94.5% of Aden registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1675
2024
Births in 2024
15
Latest year
Peak year
2010
100 births
Estimated living
1,190
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Aden
In England and Wales birth records, Aden has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 94.5% of registrations are for boys and 5.5% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Aden registered for boys
- Ranked #1,675 in 2024
- 15 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2010 (100 births)
Aden registered for girls
- Ranked #2,411 in 2024
- 11 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (11 births)
Meaning
What does Aden mean?
The name Aden has its origins in the Semitic languages of the Middle East. It is derived from the Arabic word 'adan', which means 'paradise' or 'Eden'. The name is closely associated with the city of Aden, a major port city in Yemen on the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
Aden is mentioned in several ancient texts and religious scriptures. In the Quran, Aden is referred to as the 'Garden of Eden' or 'Jannatul Adan'. The city of Aden is also mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible as a location visited by the Queen of Sheba during her journey to meet King Solomon.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Aden can be found in the writings of the Arab historian and geographer Al-Hamdani, who lived in the 10th century AD. He referred to the city of Aden as a flourishing trade center and a gateway to the Indian Ocean.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Aden. One of the earliest was Aden bin Abi Anuayr Al-Fazari (died 690 AD), a renowned Arab poet and warrior during the early Islamic era. Another notable figure was Aden bin Yahya Al-Sayari (died 944 AD), a prominent Islamic scholar and judge from Yemen.
In more recent times, Aden Abdulle Osman (1908-1954) was a Somali poet, writer, and politician who played a significant role in the Somali nationalist movement. Aden Aden (1939-2012) was a renowned Somali singer and songwriter, known for his contributions to the development of Somali music.
Aden Ridgeway (born 1962) is an Australian politician and former senator, known for his advocacy for indigenous rights and reconciliation. He was the first Aboriginal person to be elected to the Australian Senate.
Aden Young (born 1971) is an Australian actor, best known for his roles in films such as 'Kick' and the television series 'Rectify'. Aden Flint (born 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Sheffield Wednesday.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Aden over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Aden in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Aden, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 15 births in 2024, compared with 100 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aden by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aden 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 | #1174 | 124 | 5 |
| 2010s | #756 | 467 | 10 |
| 2000s | #637 | 434 | 10 |
| 1990s | #799 | 79 | 4 |
Geography
Where Aden is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Aden. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Aden ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #398 in 2013.
Across the UK
Aden in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#439 in 2014
16 years of NRS records, 89 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#398 in 2013
2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Aden
-
Aden Baldwin
association football player
English association football player (born 1997)
1997-
Related
Names similar to Aden
- 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
Aden: questions and answers
How popular is the name Aden in the UK right now?
In 2024, Aden was ranked #1675 for boys in England and Wales, with 15 births registered.
When was Aden most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 100 babies registered as Aden in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Aden?
From the Hebrew root ʿaden meaning "pleasure, delight" or "to be soft or delicate".
How many people are called Aden in the UK?
A total of 1,104 babies have been registered as Aden across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 89 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Aden most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Aden ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #398 in 2013. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.