Alden
From Old English Ealdwine, from eald (“old”) + wine (“friend”); equivalent to Alwin.
Every Alden since 1880 — 19,173 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alden
Alden is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #598 in 2025 with 479 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 19,173 American babies have been named Alden. Its peak came in 2024, when 519 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Alden stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alden year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | #6,125 | 479 | #598 |
| 2024 | 25 | #5,155 | 494 | #576 |
| 2023 | 25 | #5,134 | 431 | #640 |
| 2022 | 19 | #6,241 | 445 | #627 |
| 2021 | 31 | #4,415 | 394 | #676 |
| 2020 | 21 | #5,672 | 387 | #672 |
| 2019 | 15 | #7,360 | 435 | #623 |
| 2018 | 20 | #6,024 | 411 | #638 |
| 2017 | 22 | #5,668 | 409 | #634 |
| 2016 | 16 | #7,249 | 392 | #660 |
| 2015 | 16 | #7,287 | 340 | #725 |
| 2014 | 20 | #6,220 | 337 | #714 |
| 2013 | 19 | #6,475 | 331 | #709 |
| 2012 | 26 | #5,259 | 294 | #772 |
| 2011 | 16 | #7,454 | 244 | #864 |
| 2010 | 25 | #5,423 | 251 | #841 |
| 2009 | 19 | #6,818 | 242 | #868 |
| 2008 | 28 | #5,148 | 222 | #920 |
| 2007 | 28 | #5,103 | 275 | #786 |
| 2006 | 31 | #4,580 | 249 | #816 |
| 2005 | 23 | #5,442 | 258 | #769 |
| 2004 | 41 | #3,566 | 257 | #735 |
| 2003 | 37 | #3,734 | 251 | #729 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4,775 | 178 | #906 |
| 2001 | 25 | #4,695 | 159 | #968 |
| 2000 | 26 | #4,531 | 186 | #857 |
| 1995 | 17 | #5,446 | 142 | #931 |
| 1990 | 9 | #8,513 | 119 | #949 |
| 1985 | 13 | #5,356 | 86 | #984 |
| 1980 | — | — | 57 | #1,214 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,495 | 54 | #1,147 |
| 1970 | — | — | 59 | #1,063 |
| 1965 | — | — | 76 | #843 |
| 1960 | — | — | 86 | #821 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,214 | 97 | #739 |
| 1950 | — | — | 89 | #726 |
| 1945 | — | — | 105 | #592 |
| 1940 | — | — | 116 | #545 |
| 1935 | — | — | 106 | #558 |
| 1930 | — | — | 146 | #490 |
| 1925 | — | — | 173 | #458 |
| 1920 | — | — | 180 | #450 |
| 1915 | — | — | 155 | #436 |
| 1910 | — | — | 13 | #861 |
| 1905 | — | — | 19 | #526 |
| 1900 | — | — | 13 | #699 |
| 1895 | — | — | 8 | #795 |
| 1890 | — | — | 10 | #629 |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #939 |
| 1880 | — | — | 9 | #641 |
Famous people named Alden
- Alden Ehrenreich Actor · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alden mean?
From Old English Ealdwine, from eald (“old”) + wine (“friend”); equivalent to Alwin.
How popular is the name Alden in 2025?
Alden ranked #598 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 479 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Alden?
19,173 babies have been named Alden in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alden most popular?
Alden peaked in 2024, when 519 newborns received the name.
Is Alden a boy or girl name?
Alden is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 95% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alden rising or falling?
Alden is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Alden?
Well-known people named Alden include Alden Ehrenreich (actor).