| Aidan | Nolan | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Little fire | Champion |
| Origin | irish | Irish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | AY-dən | NOH-lun |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1936 | 1881 |
| Peak year | 2003 (10,067) | 2015 (5,739) |
| In 2025 | 1,043 | 4,846 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Aidan | Nolan |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,955 | 30,357 |
| 2010s | 25,446 | 50,045 |
| 2000s | 76,513 | 26,374 |
| 1990s | 8,783 | 11,791 |
| 1980s | 465 | 4,678 |
| 1970s | 172 | 2,006 |
| 1960s | 71 | 1,494 |
| 1950s | 21 | 1,960 |
| 1940s | 0 | 2,003 |
| 1930s | 5 | 1,822 |
| 1920s | 0 | 1,674 |
| 1910s | 0 | 1,021 |
| 1900s | 0 | 174 |
| 1890s | 0 | 75 |
| 1880s | 0 | 31 |
Anglicized form of Aodhan, a diminutive of the Old Irish name Aodh, which means 'fire' and was borne by a Celtic sun/fire god. The name therefore reads as 'little fire' or 'fiery one'.
Nolan comes from the Irish Ó Nualláin, linked to “champion” or “noble.”
Nolan is more popular than Aidan today: about 4,846 US babies were given the name Nolan in 2025, compared with 1,043 named Aidan.
Aidan means Little fire (irish origin), while Nolan means Champion (Irish origin).
In US records, Aidan first appears in 1936 and Nolan in 1881, so Nolan has the longer recorded history.