Haydon
A masculine English name derived from place names containing "hay".
Name Census estimates that about 1,221 living Americans carry the first name Haydon. It is a predominantly male name (94.3% of registrations). The average person named Haydon today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Haydon births was 2007 (102 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Haydon. 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.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 280,716 Americans
Peak year
2007
102 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,928
Tracked since 1920
Gender
Gender distribution for Haydon
Haydon leans heavily male at 94.3% of total registrations, but 71 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Haydon as a male name
- Ranked #4,928 in 2024
- 20 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2007 (94 births)
Haydon as a female name
- Ranked #16,785 in 2017
- 5 female births in 2017
- Peak: 2007 (8 births)
Popularity
Haydon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Haydon from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 620 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Haydon 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 Haydon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Haydons live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. Texas, Kentucky, Ohio recorded the most babies named Haydon, while Pennsylvania, California, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 17 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Haydon
The given name Haydon is believed to have its origins in the English language, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "hægedorn," which translates to "hawthorn" or a type of thorny shrub native to Europe and parts of Asia. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near hawthorn bushes or resided in areas where these plants grew abundantly.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Haydon can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population records commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical document includes references to individuals bearing variations of the name, such as "Haidon" and "Heidun," further solidifying its English roots.
Throughout the medieval period, the name Haydon was predominantly found in regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Northumberland. It's possible that the name was initially adopted as a surnames by families residing in localities known for their hawthorn bushes or as a descriptive name for individuals associated with these plants.
While the name Haydon does not appear to have any direct connections to religious texts or ancient scriptures, it has been borne by notable historical figures across various fields. One such individual was Sir Haydon Browne (1588-1660), an English judge and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King Charles I.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Haydon Bridge (1786-1842), an English artist and writer who was a key figure in the Romantic movement. His works, including notable paintings like "Christ's Entry into Jerusalem" and "The Raising of Lazarus," garnered both acclaim and controversy during his lifetime.
In the field of literature, Haydon Carruth (1921-2008) was an American poet, critic, and academic who received numerous accolades, including the National Book Award for his collection "Scrambled Eggs & Bacon" in 1994.
The name Haydon also found its way into the realm of sports with Haydon Tanner (1917-1988), an Australian cricketer who played for the national team in the 1940s and later served as a coach and administrator.
Lastly, Haydon Wilcox (1955-2022) was a British artist and sculptor known for his large-scale public artworks, many of which can be found in various cities across the United Kingdom.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have borne the given name Haydon throughout history, spanning fields such as law, art, literature, sports, and beyond.
People
Haydon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Haydon as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Haydon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Haydon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,221 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Haydon 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 280,716 US residents.
Is Haydon a common name?
We classify Haydon as "Rare". It ranks above 91.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,252 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Haydon most popular?
The single biggest year for Haydon was 2007, when 102 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Haydon is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Haydon a male name?
Yes, 94.3% of people registered as Haydon 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.
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.