Alden
Boy name · #598 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Alden? In official American birth records, Alden has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Alden ranks #598 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 479 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #725, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,758 boys born in 2025 was named Alden.
Babies named Alden per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Alden first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 9 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 494 babies and a rank of #576. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alden against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alden in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alden is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Alden will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Alden is most common
Geography matters for names, and Alden is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Alden is most common in ME (3.4 per 1,000), OR (0.7 per 1,000), WA (0.7 per 1,000), KY (0.6 per 1,000), MN (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Alden is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Alden
Statistically, parents drawn to Alden tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Arden, Boden, Eden, Rayden, and Auden.
ArdenBodenEdenRaydenAudenRaidenLindenAspen
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alden | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 479 | #598 |
| 2024 | 494 | #576 |
| 2023 | 431 | #640 |
| 2022 | 445 | #627 |
| 2021 | 394 | #676 |
| 2020 | 387 | #672 |
| 2019 | 435 | #623 |
| 2018 | 411 | #638 |
| 2017 | 409 | #634 |
| 2016 | 392 | #660 |
| 2015 | 340 | #725 |
| 2014 | 337 | #714 |
| 2013 | 331 | #709 |
| 2012 | 294 | #772 |
| 2011 | 244 | #864 |
| 2010 | 251 | #841 |
| 2009 | 242 | #867 |
| 2008 | 222 | #920 |
| 2007 | 275 | #786 |
| 2006 | 249 | #816 |
| 2005 | 258 | #769 |
| 2004 | 257 | #735 |
| 2003 | 251 | #729 |
| 2002 | 178 | #906 |
| 2001 | 159 | #968 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Alden?
In official American birth records, the name Alden first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Alden a popular boy name?
Alden ranked #598 among boys in 2025 with 479 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #725.
When was the name Alden most popular?
Alden peaked in 2024, when 494 American boys received the name (ranked #576 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Alden?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,758 newborn American boys was named Alden. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.