Unisex · #7,409 in 2026

Payden

Current Rank
#7,409
Peak Rank
#1,916 (2008)
Total Babies
1K
5-Yr Trend
-41%
👧 Girl peak #2,999 (695 total)
👦 Boy peak #1,916 (1K total)
👦As Boy Name
1986
First Year
2026
Last Year
2008
Peak Year
#1916
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
41
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1992
First Year
2024
Last Year
2009
Peak Year
#2999
Peak Rank
695
Total Count
33
Years Active

The Story of Payden

As a girl name

Payden first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1992, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2009, when 57 Paydens were born — ranking #2,999 that year. As of 2026, Payden ranks #10,241 for girls with 9 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 695 Paydens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Payden first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1986, with 17 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 75 Paydens were born — ranking #1,916 that year. As of 2026, Payden ranks #7,409 for boys with 9 births, falling sharply (-41%). In total, more than 1K Paydens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Payden

Phonetically similar names — useful when Payden 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 Payden

What does the name Payden mean?
Payden is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1986. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Payden in 2026?
In 2026, Payden ranks #7,409 among boys' names in the U.S., with 9 babies given the name that year.
When was Payden most popular?
Payden reached its peak popularity in 2008, ranking #1,916 that year with 75 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Payden most popular?
Payden has historically been most popular in Utah, Mississippi, Oklahoma. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Payden.
Is Payden a unisex name?
Yes — Payden is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 34% of Paydens assigned female and 66% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Payden?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Payden include Nazario, Andrik, Maximos. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Payden

Payden is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Payden's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #1,916. Use the chart and map above to compare Payden's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.