Kedem as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kedem

What is the meaning of the name Kedem ?

The baby name Kedem is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈkɛdɛm/; phonetic: KEH-dem.

Kedem is Hebrew in Origin.

Kedem (pronounced KEH-dem) is a Hebrew name from the Semitic root Q‑D‑M, signifying “east,” “front,” and by extension “ancient times” or “of old.” In the Hebrew Bible, kedem appears as a poetic term for the sunrise direction and for primordial antiquity, giving the name connotations of origins, first light, and enduring tradition.

As a given name, Kedem gained currency in modern Israel during the 20th-century Hebrew revival and remains uncommon but recognizable - primarily masculine, though sometimes used unisex. It also exists as a Jewish surname. Transliteration variants include Qedem (scholarly) and, less often, Kedem without diacritics; related forms are Kedma (feminine, “eastward”) and Kidma (“progress,” from the same root). The root is shared across Semitic languages (cf. Arabic qadim, “ancient”), reinforcing the name’s dual sense of direction and deep past.

⚙ Kedem is far from common. We count 38 recorded uses of it across 5 countries.