I like it, and I pronounce it CAN-diss. My preferred spelling is
Candace. I'm not sure about the nicknames; I've kind of been off using
Candy as a nickname because it was the name of my neighbor's Golden Retriever.
I do actually know a
Candace quite well--my aunt. She is 41, and she doesn't have a middle name. She was actually named for
Candace Bergen, back in the 60s. I don't think of the 80s at all.
I like
Cadence, too. I know a little
Cadence who's adorable. Her name is appropriate, as both her parents are musicians. I'm wary of musical names as a rule, but in some cases (like in
Cadence's) I think they can fit.