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Hayden

♂ Boy

Pronounced HAY-dun /ˈheɪ.dən/High

Meaning: Hay valley or hedged valley; from Old English haeg (hay or hedge) + denu (valley)High

In 30 seconds: An Old English place-name surname meaning 'hay valley' or 'hedged valley.' Known through classical composer Joseph Haydn, it has been a solid boys' name in the U.S. since the 1990s.

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Origin HighEnglish

MeaningHay valley or hedged valley; from Old English haeg (hay or hedge) + denu (valley)

U.S. rank (2025)#161 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births2,268 boys (0.13% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2006

Total births (all-time)≈ 114,071

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

Hayden is an Old English place-name surname from haeg (hay or hedge) and denu (valley). Several English villages bear the name. The Austrian composer Joseph Haydn shares the sound, though the spelling differs.

Hayden entered the U.S. boys' top 100 in the mid-2000s and ranked #154 for boys in 2024. It also appears in girls' data.

Did you know? Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) — whose surname shares the same sound — is considered the 'Father of the Symphony' and 'Father of the String Quartet,' inventing and developing the two most important forms of classical music.

Overall data confidence 86%

Behind the Name — Hayden — Old English etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

HaidenHaydon

Nicknames

Hay

Famous Bearers

★Hayden Christensen (1981-)
Canadian actor who played Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars
★Hayden Panettiere (1989-)
American actress known for Heroes and Nashville

If you like Hayden…

Holden— two-syllable -den ending name with the same literary, English feel

Aiden— Irish -den ending name in the same popular boys' cohort

Cayden— modern -den ending name from the same naming wave

Braiden— -den ending name in the same two-syllable pattern

Landon— English -on ending name in the same surname-style category

Explore names like Hayden

By themeenglish unisex two-syllable place-name surname-style

By meaningEarth / Nature

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hayden mean?

Hayden means 'hay valley' or 'hedged valley,' from Old English haeg (hay or hedge) and denu (valley).

How do you pronounce Hayden?

It's said HAY-dun — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Hayden a boy or girl name?

Hayden is primarily a boys' name but also appears in girls' data.

How popular is Hayden?

Hayden ranked #154 for U.S. boys in 2024.