I'm willing to bet most parents who choose the name Aiden for their boys don't know the name is so popular. I believe most of these parents think they chose a relatively rare name. In fact, this would have been very true for their own generation. It was only ten years ago that the name Aiden reached the top 500 most popular boys' name in the US. Five years earlier, it wasn't even in the top 1000.
The names Aiden and Aidan (a slightly less popular spelling, appearing at #59), are Anglicized versions of the old Irish name Aodhán, roughly translated as Little Fiery One.
Different versions of the name come from different translations of the ancient, mythological Irish name. These include the more modern English Aden, the Scottish Iagan, and the Irish, Kegan.
2009 Update:
Continuing its fast rise, Aiden is now the 12th most popular boy's name in the US.
2010 Update:
Continuing to rise modestly, Aiden is now a top 10 name, settled at number 9.
