Given name & surname
Hayden
“from the hedged valley”
Hayden is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the hedged valley.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “from the hedged valley.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
From Old English heg (“hay”), from Middle Dutch heiden (“heathen”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Hayden through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 147,508
- 114,084 boys · 33,424 girls
- Most popular year
- 2008
- 8,611 babies
- 2025
- 2,975
- #161 for boys · #437 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 68% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,268 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 161 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 2.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 6,470 in 2006. It also appeared in 707 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (197). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 118,666 as a first name in 2020; 35,844 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.
Hayden’s family of names
Hayden has a related form in Haden. Hayden has a related form in Hayes. Hayden has a related form in Haiden.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 30
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Hayesvariant
- Haidenvariant
- Haidynvariant
- Hadenvariant
- Haydnvariant · French, English
- Haydonvariant
- Haydinvariant
- Haydennlikely variant
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People named Hayden
- Hayden PanettiereAmerican actress and singer (1989–2026)
- Hayden ChristensenCanadian actor (born 1981)
- Hayden FoxeAustralian association football playerborn 1977
- Hayden WhiteAmerican historian (1928–2018)
- Ethel CainAmerican singer-songwriter, born 1998
- Hayden RoulstonNew Zealand cyclistborn 1981
- Hayden WildeNew Zealand triathleteborn 1997
- Hayden PaddonNew Zealand rally driverborn 1987
- Hayden StoeckelAustralian swimmer, Olympic silver medallistborn 1984
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Hayden, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Parker
“the keeper of the park”
65% boys · 35% girls
Blake
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60% boys · 40% girls
Chandler
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Landry
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Channing
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65% boys · 35% girls
Skyler
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44% boys · 56% girls
Remington
“from the town of the raven's family”
65% boys · 35% girls
Kemper
“one who is noble”
62% boys · 38% girls