How to say it
HAY · den
/ˈheɪ.dən/
Unisex
Hayden
Hay valley
What it means
Old English place name from hēg ('hay') + denu ('valley') or possibly from Old Norse heia ('high'). The same root family as Hayley and Hadley.
Hayden is an English place name from Old English hēg ('hay') + denu ('valley'), giving 'hay valley.' Some etymologists prefer an alternate reading from Old Norse heia ('heath') + denu, giving 'heath valley.' The surname has been steady for centuries. Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels) and Hayden Panettiere (Heroes, Nashville) are the strongest modern English-language anchors. As a first name Hayden surged in the US in the early 2000s and went unisex; the masculine usage has held while the feminine has slid. It's been in the US top 200 since 2001.
Popularity over time
Feminine: peaked at #127 in 2008, currently #437 in 2025.
Masculine: peaked at #71 in 2007, currently #161 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Hayden Christensen (Star Wars prequels, 1999-2005) and Hayden Panettiere (Heroes, 2006-2010, then Nashville) are the dominant English-language anchors.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Hayden Christensen Canadian actor, Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels
- Hayden Panettiere American actress, Heroes and Nashville
Spelling variants
- Haden
- Haydn
Names with the same feeling
See Hayden from another angle
By style