Alden Unisex

Popularity: #499 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AL-den /ˈɔːl.dən/

Origin: Old English; German

Meaning: Old English: 'old friend'; German: 'noble'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Alden has its roots in Old English, derived from the elements "ald," meaning "old" or "wise," and "wine," meaning "friend." This etymological composition suggests a meaning akin to "old friend" or "wise protector." The name was historically used as a surname before transitioning into a given name, particularly in English-speaking regions. Its earliest forms can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, where it was recorded in various spellings, including Aldin and Alden, as both a personal name and a family name.

In terms of historical milestones, the name Alden appears in several notable contexts. One significant figure is Alden of Waltham, a 10th-century English saint, who contributed to the name's recognition in ecclesiastical circles.

Additionally, the name gained prominence in the 17th century with the arrival of the Alden family in America, particularly through John Alden, a Mayflower passenger in 1620, who became a prominent figure in early American history. His legacy has helped to cement the name within American cultural narratives, particularly in literature and folklore.

Culturally, the name Alden has been associated with wisdom and friendship, reflecting the meanings of its components. It has been used in various literary works and has appeared in different forms across cultures, sometimes as a diminutive or variant.

The name's enduring qualities are tied to its historical significance and the positive connotations of its meaning, which resonate with themes of loyalty and companionship. As such, Alden has maintained a presence in both historical texts and cultural references, contributing to its lasting appeal.

Famous people named Alden

In this section, you will find notable people named Alden. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Alden who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Alden who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Alden Ehrenreich is an actor best known for Solo: A Star Wars Story, Hail, Caesar!, and Beautiful Creatures.

Alden Richards is an actor and television host best known for his role in the series Eat Bulaga!, and films like Hello, Love, Goodbye.

Fictional characters named Alden

The following list of fictional characters named Alden is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Alden is a fictional character from the video game series Fire Emblem. He is a skilled warrior and a member of the game's central cast, often involved in key battles and character development.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Alden, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Alden. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Alden was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Alden has ranked as high as #883 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, and Minnesota.

In the past 5 years the name Alden has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Alden is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Alden was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Alden (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 50
12%
TX 38
9%
WA 29
7%
MI 25
6%
FL 22
5%
NC 20
5%
OH 20
5%
PA 18
4%
MA 16
4%
GA 16
4%
NY 15
3%
VA 14
3%
MO 13
3%
OR 13
3%
MN 12
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Alden.

YearBirths
2024492
2023431
2022445
2021394
2020387
2019435
2018411
2017409
2016391
2015340
2014337
2013331
2012294
2011244
2010251
2009242
2008222
2007275
2006249
2005258
2004257
2003251
2002178
2001159
2000186
1999144
1998196
1997143
1996143
1995142
1994116
1993100
1992116
199191
1990119
198992
198894
198784
198692
198586
198479
198368
198284
198164
198057
197957
197853
197748
197643
197554
197444
197347
197244
197148
197059
196972
196853
196762
196666
196576
196476
196384
196260
196185
196086
195992
195886
195787
1956110
195597
195486
195398
195295
195199
195089
194983
194896
1947124
194679
1945105
1944105
1943126
1942112
1941103
1940116
1939117
1938119
1937132
1936120
1935106
1934144
1933114
1932158
1931134
1930146
1929164
1928171
1927141
1926183
1925173
1924183
1923176
1922184
1921193
1920180
1919167
1918181
1917166
1916174
1915155
1914113
191393
191279
191146
191013
190912
190828
190724
190614
190519
190418
190311
190210
190110
190013
18999
189817
18979
189610
18958
18948
18935
18929
18919
189010
188910
18886
18877
18868
18855
18846
188312
18828
18816
18809