Cade is an English surname of uncertain origin, usually explained as "round" or "barrel", from an Old English nickname, or as a form of the Old French cade, a small cask; it is also used as a short form of Caden. Short, hard-edged and modern-sounding, it belongs with Cole, Colt and Jace. In the United States Cade stood at number 216 in 2000, dipped to number 445 in 2017 and has climbed back to number 248 among boys' names in 2025.