Aideen

Meaning & origin

Aideen is a rare Irish name that first appeared in U.S. Social Security records in 1999. It is typically a feminine name and has enjoyed very occasional use, with a peak in popularity in 2018. The name's trajectory since 2017 has been falling, but it remains a distinct choice among Irish-origin names. Because it has never been widespread, its rank and 1-in-N figure are too small to report; it remains far outside the top 1000. The name's meaning, 'little fire' from Old Irish áed, connects it to ancient Irish mythology, where Áed was a fire god. Its spelling varies, with Edeen and the original Irish Áedín as common alternatives. Its rarity means it has no recorded association with any specific U.S. state or famed individuals in the public record.

Aideen is an Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Áedín, itself a diminutive of Áed (meaning 'fire'). In Irish mythology, Áed was a god of the underworld, and the name appears in early medieval sources. It has been used occasionally in modern times as a feminine name, often as a variant of Edeen or Eithne.