Wayden
An invented name possibly combining elements meaning "path" and "valley".
Name Census estimates that about 199 living Americans carry the first name Wayden. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wayden today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wayden births was 2024 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wayden. 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
199
~ 1 in 1,722,384 Americans
Peak year
2024
20 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,037
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Wayden: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wayden from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 102 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Wayden remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wayden 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 Wayden during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Wayden
The name Wayden is a unique and intriguing one, with a rich history that spans across various cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Germanic tribes, where it was derived from the Old High German word "waidanjan," meaning "to hunt" or "to pursue." This connection to hunting and the outdoors reflects the nomadic lifestyle of these early Germanic peoples.
In the Middle Ages, the name Wayden gained popularity among the Anglo-Saxon population of England. It was often used as a variant of the more common name "Woden," which was derived from the Old English word "wodan," referring to the chief Germanic god of the same name. This association with the deity Woden suggests that the name Wayden may have held a sense of reverence and spiritual significance during this period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wayden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. Here, a landowner named Wayden is mentioned as holding estates in the county of Gloucestershire. This record provides evidence of the name's use in England during the 11th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Wayden. One such figure was Wayden Winton (1492-1558), a prominent English merchant and philanthropist who established several charitable foundations in London during the reign of Henry VIII. Another was Wayden Maplewood (1627-1697), a renowned Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the development of religious thought in colonial New England.
In the 19th century, Wayden Hollingsworth (1818-1892) was a prominent American abolitionist and civil rights activist who worked tirelessly to end slavery and promote racial equality. His efforts were instrumental in shaping the course of the abolitionist movement in the United States.
Moving into the 20th century, Wayden Rutherford (1901-1978) was a celebrated Australian poet and novelist whose works captured the unique landscapes and cultural experiences of his homeland. His poetic explorations of the Australian outback and its indigenous communities earned him widespread acclaim and numerous literary awards.
Finally, one cannot discuss the name Wayden without mentioning Wayden Hemmings (1935-2003), a pioneering African American film director and screenwriter. Hemmings' groundbreaking works, such as "Shaft" and "Cooley High," challenged racial stereotypes in Hollywood and paved the way for greater diversity and representation in the film industry.
People
Wayden + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wayden as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Wayden: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wayden?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 199 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wayden 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 1,722,384 US residents.
Is Wayden a common name?
We classify Wayden as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 200 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wayden most popular?
The single biggest year for Wayden was 2024, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wayden is about 9 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 Wayden in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wayden a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wayden 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 Wayden still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wayden 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 Wayden 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 Americans are named Wayden?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.