McFadden is a Scottish and Irish patronymic surname meaning "son of little Patrick". The Celtic prefix "Mc" means "son of", while "Fadden" is derived from the Gaelic Páidín, meaning "little Patrick". There are variant spellings including McFaddin, MacFadden, Mac Phaidin, the Scottish McFadin, McFadyen, MacFadyen, McFadwyn, McFadyean, MacFadzean, McFadyon, McFayden, Fadden, Fadyen, Faden, Fadin, and Fadwyn. McFadden is uncommon as a given name. People with the surname include:
Paul Patrick McFadden, Scottish Property Tycoon
Andrew McFadden, Australian rugby league football coach
Bernarr Macfadden (1868–1955), American proponent of physical culture
Bob McFadden (1923‒2000), American singer, impressionist, and voice-over actor
Brian McFadden (born 1980), Irish singer
Bryant McFadden (born 1981), American football player
Charlie "Specks" McFadden (1895–1966), American country blues singer and songwriter
Claron McFadden, American soprano
Cynthia McFadden, correspondent for the American Broadcasting Company
Cyra McFadden, American writer
Daniel McFadden (born 1937), economist, Nobel laureate
Darren McFadden, American football player
David McFadden, Canadian poet
David Henry McFadden, Manitoban politician
David James McFadden, Ontario politician
Eric McFadden, American musician
Gabrielle McFadden, Irish politician
Gates McFadden (born 1949), American actor and choreographer
Gene McFadden (1949–2006), American singer and songwriter
Hugh McFadden (poet) (born 1942), Irish poet, critic, literary editor, journalist
Hugh McFadden (Gaelic footballer), Irish Gaelic footballer
James McFadden (born 1983), Scottish footballer
Jim McFadden, hockey player
Johnjoe McFadden, Irish academic
Joseph McFadden, Scottish actor
Joseph P. McFadden (1947–2013), American Roman Catholic bishop
Ken McFadden, American basketball player
Kenny McFadden, American basketball player who played and coaches in New Zealand
Louis Thomas McFadden, member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Lucy-Ann McFadden (born 1952), American astronomer.
Mark McFadden, television news journalist
Mary McFadden, American fashion designer
Nicky McFadden, Irish politician
Pat McFadden (British politician), British politician, member of Parliament
Patrick McFadden (Irish politician), Irish politician
Patricia McFadden, Swazi radical feminist
Susan McFadden, Irish singer and actress
Tatyana McFadden (born 1989), American Paralympian athlete
Tom McFadden, American actor
W. H. McFadden, American oil executive
Will McFadden, Canadian politician from Prince Edward Island