Given name & surname
Elden
“an old friend”
Elden is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “an old friend.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “an old friend.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Elden through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,932
- 5,921 boys · 11 girls
- Most popular year
- 1922
- 141 babies
- 2025
- 36
- #3,264 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 36 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,264 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 2.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,417 as a first name in 2020; 395 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Elden’s family of names
Elden has a related form in Eldin. Elden has a related form in Eldwin. Elden has a related form in Eldwen.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Eldinvariant
- Eldwinvariant
- Eldynvariant
- Elldenlikely variant
- Eldwinevariant
- Eldwynnevariant
- Eldwynnvariant
- Eldwynvariant
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Elden
- Elden HensonAmerican actorborn 1977
- Elden CampbellAmerican basketball player (1968–2025)
- Elden Francis CurtissCatholic archbishopborn 1932
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Elden, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Eldon
“from the sacred hill”
>99% boys
Erwin
“a friend of the wild boar”
>99% boys
Elton
“a spontaneous woman” · “from the old town”
99% boys · 1% girls
Elvin
“a friend of the elves”
>99% boys
Weldon
“from the hill near a spring”
>99% boys
Elgin
“a noble man; one who is white-skinned”
>99% boys
Elbert
“a wellborn man” · “a bright man”
>99% boys
Olin
“filled with happiness”
>99% boys