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Home › Baby Names Directory › Cadence

Cadence

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAY-dents /ˈkeɪ.dənts/High

Meaning: Rhythm, flow, a falling sequence of notes or beats; from Latin cadentia (falling), from cadere (to fall)High

In 30 seconds: A musical vocabulary name meaning 'rhythm' or 'flow,' from the Latin cadere (to fall). It evokes the measured beauty of music and speech — and the satisfying resolution that comes at the end of a musical phrase.
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Origin HighLatin, English
MeaningRhythm, flow, a falling sequence of notes or beats; from Latin cadentia (falling), from cadere (to fall)
U.S. rank (2025)#1022 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births245 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2007
Total births (all-time)≈ 22,427

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200719742025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cadence derives from Latin cadentia (falling), from cadere (to fall), referring in music to the pattern of notes falling toward a conclusion. In prosody it refers to the rhythmic flow of a line of poetry or prose. As a given name it is a 20th-century English coinage.

Cadence appeared in U.S. birth data from the 1990s onward, rising alongside other musical names like Lyric, Melody, and Harmony. It ranked #1035 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? In music theory, a cadence is the harmonic progression that brings a phrase to a satisfying close — so naming a child Cadence literally means naming her after the moment of resolution and completion.
Overall data confidence 93%
Behind the Name — Cadence — Latin etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

KadenceKaydenceCaydence

Nicknames

CadyCadeCad

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Cadence…

Harmony— music concept name with the same measured beauty
Melody— musical concept name in the same trend
Lyric— music concept name popular for girls in the same wave
Aria— musical term used as a name, in the same sonic category

Explore names like Cadence

By themeenglishlatinmusicconcept-name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cadence mean?

Cadence means 'rhythm' or 'flow,' from Latin cadentia (falling), referring to the rhythmic pattern of music or speech.

How do you pronounce Cadence?

It's said KAY-dents — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cadence a boy or girl name?

Cadence is used primarily as a girls' name.

How popular is Cadence?

Cadence ranked #1035 for U.S. girls in 2024.

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