Aedan: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Aedan is an Irish boy's name meaning “born of fire.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Born of fire
- Gender
- Boy
- English forms
- Aidan, Aiden
How do you pronounce Aedan?
Aedan is pronounced AID-an. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. It can also be said AID-on. Other spellings: Aodhan.
What does Aedan mean?
A diminutive form of the name Aed meaning “fire” and would imply “born of fire.” It became a popular name in honour of St. Aidan of Iona (c. 630 AD) who founded a famous monastery on the island of Lindisfarne which he used as a base to evangelize the North of England. In art Aidan is usually represented as a stag, a reference to the legend that he saved a deer that was being hunted by making it invisible.
How popular is Aedan in Ireland?
Aedan wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2024, when 3 baby boys got the name. It was most popular in 1996, when 3 baby boys were named Aedan, No. 369 that year. The most babies got the name in 2011: 10. It first appears in the records in 1996, with 3 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | No. 785 |
| 2019 | 4 | No. 646 |
| 2017 | 5 | No. 547 |
| 2016 | 7 | No. 448 |
| 2015 | 3 | No. 699 |
| 2014 | 9 | No. 403 |
| 2013 | 4 | No. 605 |
| 2012 | 5 | No. 548 |
| 2011 | 10 | No. 387 |
| 2010 | 5 | No. 542 |
| 2009 | 4 | No. 604 |
| 2007 | 4 | No. 527 |
| 1998 | 3 | No. 369 |
| 1997 | 3 | No. 382 |
| 1996 | 3 | No. 369 |
Aedan in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Aedan, letter by letter.
- AAilm, pine
- EEadhadh, aspen
- DDair, oak
- AAilm, pine
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Aedan
Questions about Aedan
- How do you pronounce Aedan?
- Aedan is pronounced AID-an. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Aedan mean?
- Aedan means “born of fire.”
- Is Aedan a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Aedan is a boy's name.
- What is Aedan in English?
- The English forms of Aedan are Aidan and Aiden.