Arden Unisex

Popularity: #715 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AR-den //ˈɑːrdən//

Origin: English; Latin

Meaning: English: great valley; Latin: ardent, enthusiastic

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Arden has its roots in the Old English word "eard," meaning "to dwell" or "to be at home." This term evolved through various linguistic stages, including Middle English, where it became associated with the term "arden," referring to a place of high ground or a valley. The name is also linked to the Latin "ardens," meaning "burning" or "passionate," which may have contributed to its adoption in different cultures.

The transition into English likely occurred through Norman influence after the Conquest of 1066, as many Old English names were supplanted or modified by Norman French forms. Historically, Arden is associated with several notable figures and places.

One of the most significant references is to the Forest of Arden, a location in Shakespeare's play "As You Like It," written in the early 17th century. This forest symbolizes a pastoral ideal and a retreat from the complexities of court life, reflecting themes of nature and transformation.

The name also appears in various historical documents and literature, often associated with nobility and land ownership in medieval England, which helped to solidify its presence in the cultural lexicon. Culturally, Arden has been embraced in literature and the arts, often evoking themes of nature, tranquility, and refuge.

The name carries connotations of strength and resilience, likely due to its association with natural landscapes and historical significance. Additionally, diminutive forms such as Ardy have emerged in some contexts, though they are less commonly noted in historical records.

Overall, the name Arden encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and cultural resonance, reflecting both its historical roots and its enduring appeal.

Famous people named Arden

In this section, you will find notable people named Arden. 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 Arden who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Arden 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.

Arden Cho is an actress and singer best known for Teen Wolf, Chicago Med, and her music career.

Arden Myrin is an actress and comedian best known for Mad TV, Shameless, and Insatiable.

Fictional characters named Arden

The following list of fictional characters named Arden 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.

Arden is a fictional character from the video game series Fire Emblem. They are a skilled warrior who plays a significant role in the story's conflict.

Sibling suggestions

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

AldenAidenEdenJadenKadenMadden

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Arden. 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.

AldenArloAriAsherCadenKieranLandonMasonRonanSoren

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Arden was first seen in the United States in 1881.

Arden has ranked as high as #1193 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, and Minnesota.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Arden 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 Arden was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Arden.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 486 225 261
2024 485 244 241
2023 455 214 241
2022 396 155 241
2021 388 161 227
2020 404 168 236
2019 407 129 278
2018 398 124 274
2017 351 122 229
2016 380 105 275
2015 392 92 300
2014 339 94 245
2013 308 69 239
2012 299 76 223
2011 254 76 178
2010 249 55 194
2009 237 70 167
2008 289 70 219
2007 246 79 167
2006 205 57 148
2005 204 57 147
2004 210 51 159
2003 215 57 158
2002 175 32 143
2001 152 30 122
2000 140 35 105
1999 125 28 97
1998 121 29 92
1997 102 23 79
1996 81 17 64
1995 101 26 75
1994 103 25 78
1993 81 18 63
1992 56 20 36
1991 46 21 25
1990 39 14 25
1989 46 19 27
1988 44 28 16
1987 45 22 23
1986 39 15 24
1985 38 18 20
1984 29 15 14
1983 34 20 14
1982 23 12 11
1981 18 11 7
1980 26 16 10
1979 29 17 12
1978 28 17 11
1977 19 19 0
1976 26 19 7
1975 31 25 6
1974 40 25 15
1973 27 21 6
1972 32 21 11
1971 39 25 14
1970 47 35 12
1969 51 34 17
1968 55 39 16
1967 37 25 12
1966 42 31 11
1965 45 29 16
1964 59 40 19
1963 71 45 26
1962 63 45 18
1961 83 57 26
1960 82 57 25
1959 93 68 25
1958 91 69 22
1957 91 65 26
1956 88 64 24
1955 85 61 24
1954 92 70 22
1953 112 82 30
1952 87 66 21
1951 85 63 22
1950 100 80 20
1949 97 74 23
1948 108 86 22
1947 137 112 25
1946 107 76 31
1945 107 92 15
1944 114 91 23
1943 138 120 18
1942 126 111 15
1941 140 115 25
1940 131 104 27
1939 159 127 32
1938 158 141 17
1937 158 118 40
1936 164 129 35
1935 156 118 38
1934 188 146 42
1933 150 114 36
1932 162 114 48
1931 178 122 56
1930 227 137 90
1929 161 98 63
1928 153 114 39
1927 138 129 9
1926 100 100 0
1925 110 110 0
1924 139 139 0
1923 122 122 0
1922 124 124 0
1921 111 111 0
1920 112 112 0
1919 91 86 5
1918 114 114 0
1917 116 116 0
1916 81 81 0
1915 99 93 6
1914 63 58 5
1913 49 49 0
1912 48 48 0
1911 19 19 0
1910 17 17 0
1909 8 8 0
1907 7 7 0
1906 9 9 0
1905 11 11 0
1904 7 7 0
1903 12 12 0
1902 7 7 0
1901 5 5 0
1899 11 11 0
1898 8 8 0
1897 5 5 0
1895 5 5 0
1892 6 6 0
1890 6 6 0
1887 5 5 0
1886 5 5 0
1881 5 5 0

Top States for Arden (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 71
19%
TX 41
11%
PA 25
7%
NY 22
6%
WA 18
5%
OH 18
5%
CO 17
5%
VA 16
4%
FL 16
4%
GA 16
4%
IL 15
4%
SC 11
3%
KS 10
3%
MN 9
2%
NC 9
2%
TN 8
2%
NJ 8
2%
AL 7
2%
LA 7
2%
MD 6
2%
UT 5
1%
MI 5
1%
WI 5
1%
IN 5
1%