Hayden first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Hayden has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Hayden

A masculine name of English origin meaning "hay-covered valley".

Popularity of Hayden by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Hayden is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 77% of people named Hayden being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 2,219 male babies and 831 female babies born with the name Hayden.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 2,219 831
2022 2,292 928
2021 2,201 1,099
2020 2,155 1,086
2019 2,063 1,138
2018 2,181 1,249
2017 2,296 1,357
2016 2,393 1,577
2015 2,748 1,711
2014 2,888 1,666
2013 2,969 1,685
2012 3,543 1,614
2011 4,599 1,692
2010 4,194 1,892
2009 4,866 2,475
2008 5,947 2,662
2007 6,276 1,736
2006 6,469 761
2005 5,916 747
2004 5,019 483
2003 5,101 490
2002 4,142 419
2001 3,262 365
2000 3,044 348
1999 2,414 268
1998 2,143 254
1997 2,068 182
1996 2,015 183
1995 1,895 158
1994 1,792 153
1993 1,326 140
1992 1,159 112
1991 926 77
1990 610 42
1989 239 43
1988 113 36
1987 126 27
1986 88 25
1985 81 18
1984 70 15
1983 64 12
1982 78 21
1981 67 16
1980 80 10
1979 63 14
1978 55 14
1977 49 13
1976 49 11
1975 41 15
1974 36 10

The history of the first name Hayden

The name Hayden is an English surname that later became adopted as a masculine given name. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hæg" meaning hedge and "denu" meaning valley, essentially translating to "the valley in the hedge" or "hedged valley." This name is thought to have its roots in the Anglo-Saxon era, with the earliest recorded instances of the name dating back to the 12th century.

In the year 1202, a record shows a person named Haiden de Haidene, which is considered one of the earliest documented uses of the name. Over time, the spelling evolved to Hayden, and it became more commonly used as a surname in England.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Hayden was Sir John Hayden, who lived from around 1470 to 1518. He was an English merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1512. Another significant figure was Digby Hayden (1605-1658), an English clergyman and theologian who served as a chaplain to King Charles I during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Hopton Hayden (1688-1770) was a prominent British lawyer and Member of Parliament. He played a role in the establishment of the Foundling Hospital in London, which was one of the earliest establishments dedicated to caring for abandoned children.

Moving forward, the name Hayden gained more recognition with the renowned American composer and pianist Dennis Hayden, who lived from 1917 to 2007. He is renowned for his contributions to modern classical music and his innovative compositions.

Another notable individual was Sterling Hayden (1916-1986), an American actor, author, and maritime explorer. He starred in numerous films throughout the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, including "The Asphalt Jungle," "The Killing," and "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb."

While the name Hayden has its roots in Old English, it has gained widespread popularity across various cultures and continues to be a popular choice for parents worldwide.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Hayden was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hayden, please contact us.

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"Hayden first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/hayden-meaning-and-history/.

"Hayden first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/hayden-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Hayden first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/hayden-meaning-and-history/.

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