Biden
An Anglicized form of an Irish surname meaning "small mouth".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Biden. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Biden today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Biden births was 2021 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Biden. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Biden. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2021
11 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2021 SSA rank
#7,149
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Biden: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Biden by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Biden during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Biden
The name Biden is believed to have originated from the Old English language, which was spoken in parts of Britain from the 5th to the 11th centuries. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "byd" and "denu," which together translate to "valley dweller" or "one who lives in a valley."
Historically, the name Biden may have been used as a surname or a place name before becoming a given name. Records show that there was a small village called Bydene in the county of Wiltshire, England, during the medieval period. It is possible that the name Biden originated from this location and was later adopted as a personal name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Biden can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Bydene, which could be an early spelling variation of the name Biden.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Biden. One such person was Biden ap Gwgan, a Welsh prince who lived in the 12th century and was known for his military exploits during the conflicts between the Welsh and the Norman invaders.
Another prominent figure was Sir John Biden, an English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France in the 14th century. He was renowned for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield and was awarded lands and titles for his service to the crown.
In the 16th century, there was a painter named William Biden who was active in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Some of his works can still be found in various art collections and museums across the country.
During the 17th century, a clergyman named Thomas Biden served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in the town of Warwick, England. He was known for his scholarly writings and contributions to the local community.
In more recent times, one of the most notable individuals with the name Biden was Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., an American politician who served as the 46th President of the United States from 2021 to 2025. Prior to his presidency, he was the Vice President under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017.
People
Biden + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Biden as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Biden: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Biden?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Biden going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Biden a common name?
We classify Biden as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Biden most popular?
The single biggest year for Biden was 2021, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Biden is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Biden in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Biden a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Biden in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Biden still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Biden in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Biden can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Biden?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.