Chad
The name Chad is the modernized form of the Old English given name Ceadda. It is also a short form of Charles, Chandler, Chadler, Chadd, Chadrick and Chadwick.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Chad
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The name Chad is the modernized form of the Old English given name Ceadda. It is also a short form of Charles, Chandler, Chadler, Chadd, Chadrick and Chadwick.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Chad
The earliest SSA record of Chad as a baby boy name dates back to 1914, when 11 babies received it. 1972 was its biggest year on record, with 13,391 newborns named Chad — #25 in the national rankings. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 47% of all recorded Chads. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,975 among baby boy names with 79 births, falling sharply (-47%). In total, more than 241K Chads have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Chad
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Chad. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Chad
Phonetically similar names — useful when Chad 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 Chad
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About the name Chad
Chad is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 241K births in the dataset. Chad's peak popularity came in 1972 when it ranked #25. Use the chart and map above to compare Chad's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1972 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.