Varden
Of Iranian origin, signifying a keeper or guard of the rose.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Varden. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Varden today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Varden births was 1919 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Varden. 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 Varden. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1919
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1919 SSA rank
#4,765
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Varden: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Varden 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 Varden during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Varden
The given name Varden is derived from the Old Norse word "varða", which means "guardian" or "watchman". It has its origins in the Viking culture of Scandinavia, dating back to the 8th to 11th centuries AD. The name was likely used to signify strength, protection, and vigilance.
In medieval Icelandic literature, the name Varden is mentioned in the Njál's Saga, a renowned work from the 13th century. The saga features a character named Varden Höskuldsson, who played a significant role in the events depicted in the story. This early reference suggests the name's usage among the Norse settlers in Iceland during that period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Varden was Varden Sigvaldsson, a Norwegian chieftain who lived in the late 10th century. He was a prominent figure in the region of Trøndelag and played a role in the power struggles of the time.
In the 12th century, Varden Erlingsson was a respected Norwegian nobleman and advisor to King Sverre Sigurdsson. He is mentioned in the Saga of Sverre, a historical account of the king's life and reign.
During the 14th century, Varden Jonsson was a Danish knight and landowner who held significant influence in the region of Skåne, which was part of Denmark at the time.
In the 15th century, Varden Pedersson was a Swedish priest and scholar who served as the rector of the University of Uppsala. He was known for his contributions to the fields of theology and education.
It is worth noting that the name Varden has been more commonly used in Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, throughout history. Over time, variations of the name, such as Vardan and Vardeen, may have emerged in different regions and cultures.
People
Varden + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Varden as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Varden: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Varden?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Varden 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 - US residents.
Is Varden a common name?
We classify Varden as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Varden most popular?
The single biggest year for Varden was 1919, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Varden is about 0 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 Varden in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Varden a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Varden 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 Varden still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Varden 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 Varden 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 called Varden?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.