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The extremely popular male name, Brayden, originated in Ireland. This spelling is a variation from the Gaelic surname, Bradin, meaning salmon.

You may be wondering why a person might be named after a fish. According to Irish folklore, there was once a man named Fionn Mac Cumhail who went on a search for a sacred well from which all inspiration flowed. In his travels he came upon a blazing fire over which a salmon was roasting. This was a fish that had swallowed a hazel nut. The nut had dropped from a tree and the salmon swallowed it before it hit the water below. The salmon, in turn, was caught by a Druid in mid-leap before he reentered the water. As foretold in Irish legend, under these circumstances the fish was given the gift of infinite wisdom and inspiration.

Our hero, Mac Cumhail, was given the salmon by the Druid. When Mac Cumhail tried to taste the fish, he burned his thumb and stuck it in his mouth to cool. This is how he acquired the wisdom of the salmon. (www.celtic.org)

Now the name Brayden is associated with bravery and wisdom.

Variations on the spelling of the name include: Braden, Braddon, Bradene, Bradon, Bradyn, Braeden, Braedon, and Braydon. (www.babyzone.com)

Children with the name Brayden are often nicknamed Brad or Brady.

The popularity of the name has been steadily increasing according to records kept by the Social Security organization in the United States. (www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname. cgi) While the name Brayden ranked 792nd in popularity in 1992, it ranked 199th in 2000 and now ranks 79th in popularity for boys' names.

The surge in popularity may have to do with a rhyming trend that began in the early 1990s when the name, Aiden, was topping the charts. This name's popularity was given a boost in 1999 when Aidan Quinn, a hot young actor, starred in a new television show called Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit.' Looking for variations on this name, parents began naming their children Cayden, Jayden, Hayden, and Brayden.

Some outstanding athletes bear the name Brayden including starting pitcher Braden Looper (born October 28, 1974) who plays baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. Brayden Metz (born April 28, 1990) is an impressive forward on the Chilliwack Bruins hockey team. If you are a basketball fan, you may have cheered for Brayden Billbe (born in the 1990s), an American University star player.

If you prefer movies to sports, perhaps you've seen Brayden Bullen acting in Dark Angel: Exposure' and Dark Angel: Medium is the Message'. His most recent movie is 'The Magic of Ordinary Days'.

Given the name's current popularity and the recent baby boomlet, there are sure to be many famous Braydens making headlines in the future.

Learn more about this author, Pat Denehy.
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