Kidus is an Ethiopian name of Amharic origin, meaning "he/she/it was born." It is derived from the verb kidama, which means "to be born." In Ethiopia, Kidus is a popular given name for both boys and girls, though its usage may vary across different regions. It is often found in the company of other traditional Ethiopian names such as Gebre (meaning "servant"), Meseret (meaning "mercy"), or Hagos (meaning "God is my strength"). The name Kidus has a rich historical context within Ethiopia but has not gained widespread international recognition. As with many cultural artifacts, this name carries unique significance and beauty within its community of origin while remaining relatively unexplored beyond its borders.
The name Kidus has seen a significant increase in popularity over the years, with birth numbers nearly doubling from 6 in 1996 to 55 in 2014, and then fluctuating between 29 and 47 births per year until 2023. The peak years for this name were 2014, 2016, and 2020 with 55 births each, followed by a decline in recent years. Overall, there have been a total of 809 babies named Kidus since 1996.