Kadence
In Western musical theory, a cadence is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards. A harmonic cadence is a progression of two or more chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music. A rhythmic cadence is a characteristic rhythmic pattern that indicates the end of a phrase.
Meaning & Origin of Kadence
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In Western musical theory, a cadence is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards. A harmonic cadence is a progression of two or more chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music. A rhythmic cadence is a characteristic rhythmic pattern that indicates the end of a phrase.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kadence
As a girl name
Kadence first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1994, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 911 Kadences were born — ranking #344 that year. As of 2026, Kadence ranks #1,816 for girls with 111 births, falling sharply (-50%). In total, more than 12K Kadences have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kadence first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1995, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 106 Kadences were born — ranking #1,633 that year. As of 2026, Kadence ranks #1,808 for boys with 91 births, holding steady (+5%). In total, more than 2K Kadences have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kadence
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kadence 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 Kadence
What does the name Kadence mean?
How popular is Kadence in 2026?
When was Kadence most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kadence most popular?
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About the name Kadence
Kadence is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1994 and has accumulated 12K births in the dataset. Kadence's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #344. Use the chart and map above to compare Kadence's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2005 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "K" →
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- 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.