Swade

English surname or variation of Suede
"soft leather material; Swedish; swath, track"

Swade Origin and Meaning

The name Swade is a boy's name of English origin meaning "soft leather material; Swedish; swath, track".

Swade can be read in two ways: a creative respelling of word name Suede, or, as a surname-style choice. As a respelling, it relates to a soft leather material that's often used to make shoes and takes its name from the French phrase gants de Suède ("gloves of Sweden"). As a surname style choice, it comes from the Old English swathu, meaning "swath, track" or "strip of grassland", though the spelling is influenced by the German Schwade.

Whichever way you look at it, Swade may appeal to those who enjoy the sound of the fabric name, but don't love that it's a word. In turn, this feels more reminiscent of Cade or Wade, giving it a slight cowboy vibe.

In a recent year, 22 boys were given the name Swade in the US, while Suede was chosen for 80 boys (and 32 girls).