Auden

♀ Girl

Pronounced AW-duhn /ˈɔ.dən/Medium

Meaning: old friendMedium

In 30 seconds: Auden is an English name meaning 'old friend,' equally at home on a girl with its calm, literary sound.

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Origin MediumEnglish

Meaningold friend

U.S. rank (2025)#2584 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births67 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2023

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,001

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Auden is an English name carrying the meaning 'old friend.' It has a settled, two-syllable rhythm that reads as gentle rather than ornate. Used for girls, it keeps a thoughtful, slightly bookish character.

The soft '-en' ending pairs it naturally with other unisex names of similar build. Its meaning of long-standing friendship gives it a warm, grounded note.

Did you know? Auden likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Auden — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSVEtymology — Auden — meaning/etymology

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Auden…

Arden— Shares the same '-den' ending and quiet English, gender-neutral feel.

Holden— Another English surname-style name with the same '-en' close and literary association.

Eden— Matches the soft two-syllable, '-en' pattern and works across genders.

Rowen— a similarly popular pick

Jayden— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Auden

By themeenglish unisex surname-style

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Auden mean?

Auden is usually explained as meaning 'old' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Auden?

It's commonly said AW-duhn /ˈɔ.dən/.

Is Auden a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Auden is used as a girl name.

How popular is Auden?

In 2024, Auden ranked #2503 in the U.S. for girls, with 71 births recorded.