NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Kadeem

Of Arabic origin, meaning "pioneer" or "the one who precedes.".

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.

Kadeem is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kadeem 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 1996, with 18 births.

This profile covers 129 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 28% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 128 living people in the UK are called Kadeem. 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

  • Kadeem ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 18 boys were registered as Kadeem.
  • About 128 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kadeem 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

1996

18 births

Estimated living

128

2026

Meaning

What does Kadeem mean?

The name Kadeem has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "qadim," which means "ancient" or "old." The name was likely given to children in the Arab world during the medieval period, as a reference to the region's rich history and heritage.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Kadeem can be found in the writings of Arab scholars and historians from the 9th and 10th centuries CE. These scholars often used the term "qadim" to describe ancient civilizations, artifacts, and texts that predated the Islamic era.

In the Islamic tradition, the name Kadeem may have been inspired by the concept of "al-Qadim," which is one of the 99 names of Allah in the Quran. This name translates to "The Eternal" or "The Ever-Existing," and is often used to emphasize the timelessness and eternity of the divine.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kadeem. One of the earliest was Kadeem al-Qadi (920-992 CE), a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad. His contributions to the fields of algebra, trigonometry, and the study of celestial bodies were significant in the advancement of Islamic science during the Golden Age.

Another prominent figure was Kadeem al-Khwarizmi (780-850 CE), a Persian mathematician, astronomer, and scholar who lived during the Abbasid Caliphate. He is credited with introducing the use of the decimal positional number system and the concept of algebra to the Arab world, which had a profound impact on the development of mathematics in the Islamic world and beyond.

In the literary realm, Kadeem al-Isfahani (897-967 CE) was a celebrated Arab poet and scholar from Isfahan, Persia. His works, which included poetry, philology, and literary criticism, were widely influential in the Arab world and helped shape the development of Arabic literature.

During the Ottoman Empire, Kadeem Pasha (1530-1598) was a prominent military leader and statesman who served as the Grand Vizier (prime minister) of the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Murad III. He was renowned for his strategic military campaigns and his efforts to modernize and strengthen the Ottoman Empire.

More recently, Kadeem Hardison (born 1965) is an American actor best known for his role as Dwayne Wayne in the television series "A Different World." He has also appeared in various films and television shows throughout his career, showcasing his talent and versatility as a performer.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kadeem over time

The chart below shows babies named Kadeem registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Kadeem, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 18 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kadeem
0591418199620102024

Decades

Kadeem by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kadeem 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 #3117 13 2
2010s #3478 35 7
2000s #2822 38 8
1990s #1300 43 4

Notable bearers

Famous people named Kadeem

  • Kadeem Ramsay

    actor; television actor

    British actor

    1996-

  • Kadeem Harris

    association football player

    English association football player (born 1993)

    1993-

Related

Names similar to Kadeem

FAQ

Kadeem: questions and answers

How popular is the name Kadeem in the UK right now?

In 2024, Kadeem was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Kadeem most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 18 babies registered as Kadeem in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kadeem?

Of Arabic origin, meaning "pioneer" or "the one who precedes.".

How many people are called Kadeem in the UK?

A total of 129 babies have been registered as Kadeem across the 21 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.