| Braden | |
| Gender: | Unisex (mostly male) |
| Meaning: | descendant of Bradán |
| Variant Forms: | Bradan, Bradin, Bradun, Bradyn, Braedan, Braeden, Braedin, Braedon, Braedyn, Breadan, Breaden, Braidan, Braiden, Braidon, Braidun, Braidyn, Braydan, Brayden, Braydin, Braydon, or Braydyn |
| Nickname: | Brady, Bray, Brad, Braid, Bradly |
| Origin: | Irish and English |
Braden is a given name that is popular in the United States and Canada. Its origin is confined to the British Isles and has two ancient sources.
The English meaning of Braden is "broad valley"[1] or "broad hillside".[2] The name has a strong Saxon origin and is most commonly found in the English county of Sussex. Additionally, there is a Braden (Braydon) Forest in Wiltshire, now mostly cut down, but it was mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as the site of a battle in 904 AD.
The Irish Gaelic surname is Ó Bradáin, meaning "descendant of Bradán". Bradán is an ancient Irish language word meaning "salmon".[3] The bradán feasa is the Salmon of Wisdom in an Irish legend about Fionn MacCool.[4] "Bradán", meaning salmon, is one of the Irish words suggested to be of pre-Indo-European origin.
The name has many alternate spellings, including: Bradan, Bradin, Bradun, Bradyn, Braedan, Braeden, Braedin, Braedon, Braedyn, Breadan, Breaden, Braidan, Braiden, Braidon, Braidun, Braidyn, Braydan, Brayden, Braydin, Braydon, or Braydyn. Some spellings have two d's (e.g. Bradden) but maintain the same pronunciation. It is in use for both boys and girls, but is more common for boys.