Hayden
Hayden is a given name in the English language. Its use as a first name comes from transferred use of the surname Hayden.
Meaning & Origin of Hayden
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Hayden is a given name in the English language. Its use as a first name comes from transferred use of the surname Hayden.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Hayden
As a girl name
Hayden first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1969, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 2,662 Haydens were born — ranking #127 that year. As of 2026, Hayden ranks #435 for girls with 708 births, falling sharply (-32%). In total, more than 34K Haydens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Hayden first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 6,470 Haydens were born — ranking #73 that year. As of 2026, Hayden ranks #152 for boys with 2,359 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 117K Haydens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Hayden
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Hayden Alvarez (born 2007), Dominican baseball player
- Hayden Byerly (born 2000), American actor, Jude Jacob on The Fosters
- Hayden Silas Anhedönia (born 1998), American musician who performs under the stage name Ethel Cain
- Hayden Carruth (1921–2008), American poet and literary critic
- Hayden Chisholm (born 1975), New Zealand saxophonist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist
- Hayden Christensen (born 1981), Canadian actor, Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise
- Hayden Conner (born 2002), American football player
- Hayden Dalton (born 1996), American basketball player
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Hayden
Phonetically similar names — useful when Hayden is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hayden
What does the name Hayden mean?
How popular is Hayden in 2026?
When was Hayden most popular?
In which U.S. states is Hayden most popular?
Is Hayden a unisex name?
What names go well with Hayden?
About the name Hayden
Hayden is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 117K births in the dataset. Hayden's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #71. Use the chart and map above to compare Hayden's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2006 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.