UK boy's name
Cadan
Of Celtic origin, a masculine name meaning "spirit of battle".
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.
Cadan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Cadan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 18 births.
This profile covers 205 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1997 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 28% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 264 living people in the UK are called Cadan. 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
- • Cadan ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 18 boys were registered as Cadan.
- • Cadan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
- • About 264 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cadan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3688
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2006
18 births
Estimated living
264
2026
Meaning
What does Cadan mean?
The name Cadan has its origins in the Welsh language and culture, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Welsh word "cad," which means "battle" or "conflict," suggesting a connection to ancient Welsh warriors or military leaders.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cadan can be found in the Welsh Triads, a collection of traditional stories and legends from the Middle Ages. In these texts, Cadan is mentioned as the name of a legendary figure, though the details surrounding this individual are scarce.
In the 12th century, a prominent Welsh historian and scholar named Cadan ap Iorwerth ap Cadwgan was born. He is known for his work in chronicling the history and genealogies of Welsh noble families during that time period.
During the 14th century, a Welsh poet named Cadan Fardd lived and composed works that celebrated Welsh culture and traditions. His poetry is considered an important contribution to the preservation of the Welsh language and literary heritage.
In the 16th century, a notable Welsh landowner and nobleman named Cadan ap Rhys ap Gruffydd was born. He played a significant role in the political and social affairs of his time, serving as a member of the Council of Wales and the Marches.
In more recent history, Cadan Pearce was a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales in the early 20th century. He was born in 1882 and played as a forward for several Welsh clubs, including Cardiff RFC and Swansea RFC.
While the name Cadan has deep roots in Welsh history and culture, it has remained relatively uncommon in modern times, preserving its unique and distinctive character.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Cadan over time
The chart below shows babies named Cadan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Cadan, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 18 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cadan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cadan 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 | #3456 | 21 | 4 |
| 2010s | #3047 | 58 | 9 |
| 2000s | #1769 | 108 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1888 | 18 | 3 |
Geography
Where Cadan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cadan. 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.
Cadan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
Across the UK
Cadan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#568 in 2012
2 years of NRS records, 7 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#404 in 2024
10 years of NISRA records, 54 total registered
Related
Names similar to Cadan
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Cadan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Cadan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Cadan was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Cadan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 18 babies registered as Cadan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Cadan?
Of Celtic origin, a masculine name meaning "spirit of battle".
How many people are called Cadan in the UK?
A total of 205 babies have been registered as Cadan across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 7 more in Scotland and 54 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Cadan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Cadan ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #404 in 2024. 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.