Meaning & Origin
A surname.
Slade is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old English origin, from the Old English slaed meaning "valley" or "dell" — a small, sheltered valley. As a surname-turned-first-name, it carries the rugged, outdoor quality of English landscape names.
Slade has a one-syllable sharpness that gives it a bold, contemporary feel. The British rock band Slade was one of the biggest acts of the early 1970s glam rock era, and their holiday classic "Merry Xmas Everybody" has kept their name in annual circulation. As a given name, Slade carries rock-and-roll energy alongside its valley landscape roots.