CadiGirl Name — Meaning & Origin

Cadi is a girl's name of Celtic origin, serving as the Welsh pet form and diminutive of Catrin, which is itself the Welsh form of Catherine. The name ultimately traces back to the Greek 'Katharos', meaning 'pure' or 'clean', transmitted through Latin and then adapted into Welsh as Catrin, with Cadi emerging as an affectionate short form.

The name has deep roots in Welsh folk culture. The 'Cadi Haf' (Cadi of Summer) is a traditional figure in Welsh May Day celebrations, a character who led or presided over the Calan Mai festivities. This association with springtime and celebration gives Cadi a joyful, folkloric dimension beyond its etymological meaning.

Catherine — and by extension Catrin and Cadi — became popular in medieval Wales partly through the cult of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, one of the most venerated saints in medieval Europe. The name spread widely across the Christian world and took on distinctly local forms in every region it reached.

As a standalone given name, Cadi has been used in Wales for centuries and has seen a notable revival in the 21st century as parents seek names that are recognisably Welsh yet short and easy to use internationally.

Cadi is embedded in Welsh folk tradition through the 'Cadi Haf' figure of May Day celebrations, linking the name to seasonal festivities, community identity, and pre-Christian echoes of spring rites. It also represents the Welsh tradition of affectionate diminutives becoming fully independent given names, showing the warmth and informality of Welsh naming culture.

Cadi has grown in popularity in Wales in the 21st century, peaked at #12 among Welsh girl names in the 2010s. Parents appreciate its short, friendly form that is easy to pronounce internationally while remaining distinctly Welsh. It is occasionally used in Welsh diaspora communities abroad.