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At a Glance: Name: Candace – Meaning: royal title of ancient Kushite queens – Origin: Meroitic/Kushite (via Ancient Greek and Latin) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: KAN-diss (also KAN-dis-ee for the biblical queen; current respelling is fine)
Candace has roots in the ancient Kushite kingdom, where kandake was a royal title held by queens — passed into English through Ancient Greek and Latin. You may see the name explained as meaning 'pure' or 'sincere,' but that's not accurate: it traces back to a title of rulership, not a word about purity.
Meaning & Origin of Candace
Meaning: Royal title of ancient Kushite queens.
Origin: Meroitic/Kushite (via Ancient Greek and Latin).
A common claim: Candace means 'pure, sincere' / 'pure and innocent' Actually: Candace doesn't mean 'pure' or 'innocent' – it comes from kandake, a Kushite royal title for queens, not a word for purity.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Candace
Phonetic: KAN-diss (also KAN-dis-ee for the biblical queen; current respelling is fine) IPA: /ˈkændɪs/
Popularity of Candace
Candace peaked at #102 in 1984, when 2,668 babies were given the name — by 2024 it had fallen to #3648, with just 42 babies recorded, based on Social Security data spanning 1882-2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1882–2024.
Make Candace Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Candace, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Candace mean?
Royal title of ancient Kushite queens. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Candace)
How do you pronounce Candace?
Candace is pronounced KAN-diss (also KAN-dis-ee for the biblical queen; current respelling is fine) (IPA: /ˈkændɪs/).
Is Candace a popular name right now?
Candace peaked at #102 in 1984 and is ranked #3648 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1882–2024.)
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