Pronunciation
Ay-dun
Meaning
Little fire
Related forms: Aodhán (related irish form).
Alternate spellings
Aodhán; Aiden; Edan
Fun fact
Aidan is an anglicised spelling of Aodhán. Aodh means fire, and Aodhán means little fire. Aidan is the familiar anglicised form. I love that meaning, and there are a lot of Irish names in this fire family!
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Aidan, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 72 | #82 |
| 2024 | 70 | #84 |
| 2023 | 69 | #88 |
| 2022 | 92 | #73 |
| 2021 | 94 | #73 |
| 2020 | 94 | #70 |
| 2019 | 142 | #48 |
| 2018 | 149 | #51 |
| 2017 | 127 | #56 |
| 2016 | 152 | #52 |
| 2015 | 154 | #52 |
| 2014 | 159 | #51 |
| 2013 | 179 | #48 |
| 2012 | 172 | #50 |
| 2011 | 229 | #40 |
| 2010 | 187 | #48 |
| 2009 | 197 | #46 |
| 2008 | 151 | #60 |
| 2007 | 149 | #55 |
| 2006 | 120 | #65 |
| 2005 | 106 | #71 |
| 2004 | 124 | #62 |
| 2003 | 109 | #64 |
| 2002 | 109 | #62 |
| 2001 | 84 | #73 |
| 2000 | 75 | #74 |
| 1999 | 87 | #69 |
| 1998 | 86 | #65 |
| 1997 | 121 | #62 |
| 1996 | 113 | #63 |
| 1995 | 120 | #63 |
| 1994 | 110 | #62 |
| 1993 | 146 | #53 |
| 1992 | 126 | #60 |
| 1991 | 143 | #55 |
| 1990 | 123 | #61 |
| 1989 | 149 | #50 |
| 1988 | 147 | #50 |
| 1987 | 185 | #47 |
| 1986 | 191 | #47 |
| 1985 | 201 | #46 |
| 1984 | 225 | #45 |
| 1983 | 229 | #46 |
| 1982 | 240 | #46 |
| 1981 | 240 | #46 |
| 1980 | 243 | #50 |
| 1979 | 230 | #47 |
| 1978 | 221 | #47 |
| 1977 | 227 | #44 |
| 1976 | 257 | #38 |
| 1975 | 189 | #54 |
| 1974 | 258 | #39 |
| 1973 | 242 | #41 |
| 1972 | 218 | #45 |
| 1971 | 213 | #44 |
| 1970 | 234 | #35 |
| 1969 | 185 | #41 |
| 1968 | 215 | #36 |
| 1967 | 198 | #38 |
| 1966 | 169 | #41 |
| 1965 | 233 | #33 |
| 1964 | 182 | #37 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.