Candida
A girl's name of Latin origin with 3,580 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A taxonomic genus within the family Saccharomycetaceae – several yeasts, some of which cause fungal infections such as thrush.
Candida is a girl's baby name of Latin origin, from the Latin candidus, meaning 'white, bright, shining, pure.' In early Christianity, Candida was associated with purity and spiritual brightness — Saint Candida was a 4th-century Roman martyr.
George Bernard Shaw's 1898 play Candida — featuring one of his most complex and independent female characters — gave the name a literary association with quiet strength and unconventional wisdom. The name's medical associations (a yeast genus) have made it rarer today, though its meaning remains beautiful.
EtymologyShow more
Though Candida dates back to 1900 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The Latin classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
Candida’s 3,580 recorded births provide enough of a footprint to establish it as a real, chosen name in American culture — not a typo or a one-off, but a deliberate selection by hundreds of families.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Candida has 111+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1900.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 30 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 95 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 254 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 550 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 1,392 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 274 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 320 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 190 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 129 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 186 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 105 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 55 | — |
The Story of Candida
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1971, Candida is a Gen X staple. Girls named Candida are most likely born between 1961 and 1981.
How rare is Candida?
With 3,580 total births on record, Candida remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1900, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1970s with 1,392 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Candida by the numbers
- Would fill 75 school buses
- Meeting one Candida per day would take 9.8 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(111 years, 1900–2017)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 6 | #14481 |
| 2015 | 5 | #16958 |
| 2014 | 7 | #13338 |
| 2012 | 6 | #15336 |
| 2010 | 6 | #15318 |
| 2009 | 10 | #10839 |
| 2008 | 5 | #18046 |
| 2006 | 10 | #10739 |
| 2005 | 14 | #7973 |
| 2004 | 8 | #11815 |
| 2003 | 11 | #9165 |
| 2002 | 9 | #10386 |
| 2001 | 13 | #7814 |
| 2000 | 15 | #6867 |
| 1999 | 11 | #8324 |
| 1998 | 17 | #5853 |
| 1997 | 21 | #4856 |
| 1996 | 16 | #5823 |
| 1995 | 16 | #5717 |
| 1994 | 29 | #3713 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Candida a boy's or girl's name?
When was Candida most popular?
How popular is the name Candida?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1900–2017