Cadence
Cadence or Kaydence is a feminine given name derived from the English word cadence, from the Latin for "a falling". The meaning of this name is considered to be "rhythm" from the borrowed use from musical terminology to describe rhythm in the spoken word.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Cadence
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Cadence or Kaydence is a feminine given name derived from the English word cadence, from the Latin for "a falling". The meaning of this name is considered to be "rhythm" from the borrowed use from musical terminology to describe rhythm in the spoken word.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Cadence
As a girl name
American parents first put Cadence on the record books as a girl name in 1974, with 10 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 1,707 Cadences were born — ranking #199 that year. About 47% of every Cadence on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Cadence ranks #1,184 for girls with 202 births, falling sharply (-54%). All told, over 23K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Cadence first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1992, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2023: 115 births, good for #1,527 nationwide. About 37% of every Cadence on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Cadence ranks #1,788 for boys with 92 births, holding steady (+2%). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Cadence
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Cadence. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Cadence
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Cadence Weapon , Canadian rapper
- Cadence Spalding , American educator and musician
- Cadence Brace , Canadian tennis player
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Cadence
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cadence is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cadence
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About the name Cadence
Cadence is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 23K births in the dataset. Cadence's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #199. Use the chart and map above to compare Cadence's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.