Unisex name · Old English
Hayden
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: hay valley or hay hillHayden is a gender-neutral name that comes from Old English and means "hay valley or hay hill". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Hay valley or hay hill
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Unisex
- US rank
- #437 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Hayden
As a gender-neutral name, Hayden comes from Old English and means "hay valley or hay hill". It is used in English.
Hayden is also a surname: the 959th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 35,844 people. See the most common last names.
Its meaning puts Hayden on our nature names list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Hayden on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Hayden on 2 lists.
“Hay valley or hay hill; Old English, from a place name”
From Gender neutral names, popular gender-neutral names
“A regular name with a built-in snack”
From Horse names, funny horse names and barn names
How popular is Hayden?
In 2025, 707 girls and 2,268 boys in the US were named Hayden.
As a girl’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #437
- 707 babies, 440 per million girls
- Best rank
- #127 in 2008
- 2,662 babies that year
- Babies since 1969
- At least 33,424
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 6 per million |
| 1980s | 13 per million |
| 1990s | 87 per million |
| 2000s | 568 per million |
| 2010s | 891 per million |
| 2020s | 561 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #206 | #232 | #262 | #294 | #298 | #290 | #344 | #368 | #402 | #437 |
As a boy’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #161
- 2,268 babies, 1,328 per million boys
- Best rank
- #71 in 2007
- Most babies: 6,470 in 2006
- Babies since 1880
- At least 114,084
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 26 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 64 per million |
| 1900s | 67 per million |
| 1910s | 73 per million |
| 1920s | 56 per million |
| 1930s | 40 per million |
| 1940s | 29 per million |
| 1950s | 17 per million |
| 1960s | 17 per million |
| 1970s | 27 per million |
| 1980s | 54 per million |
| 1990s | 839 per million |
| 2000s | 2,507 per million |
| 2010s | 1,590 per million |
| 2020s | 1,304 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #168 | #172 | #180 | #190 | #177 | #175 | #162 | #162 | #154 | #161 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Hayden
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- HaiderLion (Arabic, boy)
- HagenEnclosure (Germanic, boy)
- HandeLaughter, smile (Persian, girl)
- HavenHarbor, refuge (Old English, unisex)
- HayeonSummer and beautiful (depends on hanja) (Korean, girl)
- HayesFrom a surname meaning enclosure, fence (Old English, boy)
- HayunSummer and lustrous (depends on hanja) (Korean, girl)
- HoldenFrom a surname and place name meaning deep valley (Old English, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- GlenValley (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- GlennValley (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- ArloMeaning uncertain; perhaps from Spenser's Arlo Hill (English, boy)
- BrandonBroom-covered hill (Old English, boy)
- BrynA hill (Welsh, boy)
- CamdenFrom a surname from a place name, perhaps enclosed valley (Old English, boy)
- DaleValley (Old English, unisex)
- DallasFrom a surname meaning valley house or meadow dwelling (Old English, unisex)
- DeanFrom a surname meaning valley (Old English, boy)
- GlynA valley (Welsh, boy)
- GuyValley, ravine (Hebrew, boy)
- HaileyHay clearing (Old English, girl)
- HarlowArmy hill or rock hill (Old English, girl)
- KapitolinaOf the Capitoline Hill in Rome (Latin, girl)
Middle names for Hayden
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- EdithRich in war (Old English, girl)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- AudreyNoble strength (Old English, girl)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
- OsmundGod protector (Old English, boy)
- OswaldPower of a god (Old English, boy)
- ReidRed-haired (Old English, boy)
- RutherfordCattle ford (Old English, boy)
- StewartSteward (Old English, boy)
- SundayDay of the sun (Old English, unisex)
Hayden: common questions
What does the name Hayden mean?
Hayden comes from Old English and means "hay valley or hay hill".
Is Hayden a boy or girl name?
Hayden is used for both boys and girls. In 2025, 707 girls and 2,268 boys in the US were named Hayden, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Hayden come from?
Hayden comes from Old English and means "hay valley or hay hill". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Hayden?
Hayden ranked #437 in the US in 2025, with 707 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Hayden?
Names spelled like Hayden include Haider, Hagen, Hande, Haven and Hayeon.
What middle names go with Hayden?
Middle names that flow well with Hayden include Asher, Beau, Dawn, Jane and Jean. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.