Worden
A masculine name of Germanic origin meaning "guard or watchman".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Worden. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Worden today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Worden births was 1925 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Worden. 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
- • The typical person named Worden is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Wordens were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Worden. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1925
9 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1925 SSA rank
#3,152
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Worden: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Worden from the 1910s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 20 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Worden 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 Worden 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 Worden
The name Worden has its origins in Old English, deriving from the word "worðen," which means "an enclosure." This name was commonly used in Anglo-Saxon England and can be traced back to the 5th century CE.
The name Worden has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances is Worden the Scribe, who lived in the 9th century and was renowned for his calligraphic skills and preservation of ancient manuscripts.
In the 12th century, Worden the Monk, a Benedictine scholar, gained recognition for his contributions to the study of theology and philosophy. His writings on the virtues of monastic life were widely circulated during the Middle Ages.
During the Renaissance period, Worden von Stuttgarten (1480-1543) was a German painter known for his intricate altarpieces and frescoes adorning churches throughout southern Germany.
In the 17th century, Worden Hawthorne (1620-1691) was an English explorer and navigator who accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyages to the Pacific Ocean. His detailed journals provided invaluable insights into the cultures and landscapes encountered during those expeditions.
Another notable figure was Worden Emerson (1803-1882), an American philosopher and essayist, who was a leading figure in the Transcendentalist movement. His influential works, such as "Nature" and "Self-Reliance," explored the relationship between individuals and the natural world.
While the name Worden has a rich history, its usage has waned over time, and it is now considered relatively uncommon. However, its roots in Old English and the legacy of notable individuals who bore this name continue to be celebrated by scholars and historians alike.
People
Worden + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Worden 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
Worden: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Worden?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Worden 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Worden a common name?
We classify Worden as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 40 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Worden most popular?
The single biggest year for Worden was 1925, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Worden is about 85 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 Worden in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Worden a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Worden 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 Worden still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Worden 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 Worden 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 Worden?
See how many Americans are named Worden on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.