Candace

At a Glance

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)Listen

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

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.

Names Like Candace

These names have followed a similar path to Candace in U.S. popularity over the years.

• Marques
• Justina
• Christofer
• Griselda
• Sully
• Nikolaus

FAQ

What does the name Candace mean?

Royal title of ancient Kushite queens. (Source: Wiktionary)

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.)

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.