Variant of Candace, an ancient Ethiopian dynastic title meaning queen mother or glowing white.
Kandace is a variant spelling of Candace, a name with one of the most striking origin stories in the onomastic canon. It derives from the ancient Kushite royal title 'Kandake,' used by the queen mothers and warrior queens of the kingdom of Meroe in what is now Sudan and Ethiopia. These formidable rulers governed from roughly 300 BCE onward, and the title — meaning something akin to 'great woman' or 'queen mother' — passed into Greek and Roman texts as a proper name.
The New Testament Book of Acts references the 'Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,' introducing the name to the Christian world. The name moved through medieval Europe as a literary and exotic appellation, carrying associations with African royalty and power. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it appeared occasionally in English literature and records, gradually shedding its specifically royal connotation to become a general given name.
The 20th century saw Candace — and its phonetic variants like Kandace — rise steadily in American usage, boosted in part by actress Candice Bergen and later by pop culture figures. The Kandace spelling introduces a modern, individualized flair while preserving the name's ancient soul. It is a name that rewards research: children who discover that they share a title with ancient African queens tend to wear it with a particular pride. The 'K' variant has become popular in communities seeking to honor African heritage, reconnecting the name to its remarkable geographical and historical source.