UK boy's name
Kidus
An Amharic name meaning "holy", "sacred" or "blessed".
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.
Kidus is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kidus popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 11 births.
This profile covers 98 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 1997 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 36% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 97 living people in the UK are called Kidus. 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
- • Kidus ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 11 boys were registered as Kidus.
- • About 97 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kidus as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4270
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2021
11 births
Estimated living
97
2026
Meaning
What does Kidus mean?
The name Kidus has its origins in the ancient Semitic languages, particularly in the Ge'ez language spoken in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is derived from the root word "qddus," which means "holy" or "sacred." The name gained prominence during the early centuries of Christianity in the region.
Kidus is a popular name among the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian community, as it carries a deep religious significance. The name can be found in various ancient religious texts and scriptures, including the Ge'ez version of the Bible, where it is used to refer to holy figures and saints.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kidus dates back to the 4th century AD, when a prominent Ethiopian monk and scholar, Kidus Yared, lived. Kidus Yared is renowned for his contributions to the development of the unique Ethiopian liturgical music tradition, known as "Zema."
In the 6th century, Kidus Gabra Manfas Qeddus was a highly respected Ethiopian monk and leader of the monastic community. He played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity in the region and is venerated as a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Kidus. One such individual was Kidus Giyorgis (1913-1981), an Ethiopian nobleman and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and played a significant role in shaping the country's foreign policy during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie.
Another prominent figure was Kidus Marcos (1894-1971), an Ethiopian church leader and scholar who served as the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church from 1950 to 1971. He was instrumental in promoting education and social reforms within the church.
Kidus Gebremichael (1903-1959) was an Ethiopian fighter pilot and one of the first Africans to receive formal military aviation training. He played a crucial role in defending Ethiopia during the Italian invasion in 1935-1936 and is considered a national hero.
The name Kidus has also been borne by various saints and religious figures throughout the centuries, further solidifying its association with holiness and spiritual devotion within the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian tradition.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kidus over time
The chart below shows babies named Kidus 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 Kidus, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kidus by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kidus 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 | #2991 | 36 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3602 | 46 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3359 | 13 | 3 |
| 1990s | #2859 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kidus
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kidus: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kidus in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kidus was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Kidus most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 11 babies registered as Kidus in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kidus?
An Amharic name meaning "holy", "sacred" or "blessed".
How many people are called Kidus in the UK?
A total of 98 babies have been registered as Kidus across the 18 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.