Hayden

Boy name variations

Family name origins & meanings

• Irish : reduced form of O’Hayden, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hÉideáin and Ó hÉidín ‘descendant of Éideán’ or ‘descendant of Éidín’, personal names apparently from a diminutive of éideadh ‘clothes’, ‘armor’. There was also a Norman family bearing the English name (see 2 below), living in County Wexford.
• English : habitational name from any of various places called Hayden or Haydon. The three examples of Haydon in Northumberland are named from Old English hēg ‘hay’ + denu ‘valley’. Others, for example in Dorset, Hertfordshire, Somerset, and Wiltshire, get the name from Old English hēg ‘hay’ (or perhaps hege ‘hedge’ or (ge)hæg ‘enclosure’) + dūn ‘hill’.
• Jewish : see Heiden.

What Does the Name Hayden Mean? 

Hayden is a gender-neutral name of Old English origin meaning "hay field." This name originated as a last name, but became a popular first name overtime. 

How Popular is the Name Hayden?

Hayden is the #176 most popular boys' name and the #290 most popular girls' name in the U.S., according to 2021 Social Security Administration data. Hayden has been consistently decreasing in popularity over the years after falling out of the top 100 in 2012 and the top 150 in 2016.

However, it is the 32nd most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Hayden was at its peak popularity in December 2020.

Popularity of the Name Hayden in the United States

Hayden was searched for most often in the following states:

• Idaho 
• Arizona
• Alabama
• Washington
• Oregon

Famous People Named Hayden and Hayden in Pop Culture

Hayden is most often associated with Hayden Christensen, of Star Wars fame. Other notable namesakes include actress Hayden Panettiere, actor Hayden Byerly, and historian Hayden White. TV chef Tyler Florence and beauty queen Tolan Clark, politician John Lynch, actors Ashley Jones and Joel Henricks, and TV presenter John Walsh all chose the name for their sons.

Nicknames for Hayden

• Ayden
• Ay
• Hay

Pairs well with these middle names