Noah Boy
NOH-uh
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#2
Alden
BoyEnglish, Old English· “old friend”
- Meaning
- old friend
- Origin
- English, Old English
- Pronunciation
- AWL-den
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #598
- US babies 2025
- 479
- Best rank
- #426 (1911)
- Peak year
- 2024
Meaning and origin of Alden
Alden is an English and Old English name that means “old friend”.
Alden comes from an English surname derived from the Old English personal name Ealdwine, from eald, meaning old, and wine, meaning friend. John Alden, a cooper who sailed on the Mayflower, signed the Mayflower Compact and helped found Plymouth Colony, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow told a romanticized version of his courtship in The Courtship of Miles Standish. Through him the name has a strong New England association. As a first name, Alden is used mainly for boys. It is related to Aldwin and Alwin, which share the same Old English roots.
Popularity over time
Alden has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 123 different years. Its best national rank was #426 in 1911, and the most babies received it in 2024, when 494 were named Alden. In 2025, 479 babies were named Alden, and it ranked #598 nationally. That is 41% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #450 in 1920, #726 in 1950, #1,214 in 1980, #857 in 2000, #841 in 2010, and #598 in 2025. Of the 18,221 US boys named Alden since records began, 19% were born in the 2010s, its biggest decade. The 2020s come next, with 2,630 babies.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Krew, Vicente, Samir, Louie, and Eliel.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Alden ranked highest in Maine, New Hampshire, and Montana.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | #101 | 13 |
| New Hampshire | #158 | 9 |
| Montana | #228 | 5 |
| Nebraska | #293 | 8 |
| West Virginia | #330 | 5 |
Gender, sound and spelling
About 94% of US babies named Alden over the last 20 years were boys, with a small share of girls.
Alden is usually pronounced AWL-den, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with A and ends in “-en”.
Middle names for Alden
A few middle names that flow with Alden: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Alden
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Lists that include Alden
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alden mean?
Alden is an English and Old English name that means “old friend”.
What is the origin of the name Alden?
Alden has English and Old English roots. Alden comes from an English surname derived from the Old English personal name Ealdwine, from eald, meaning old, and wine, meaning friend.
Is Alden a popular name?
Yes. Alden ranked #598 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Alden a boy or girl name?
Alden is mainly a boy's name. About 94% of US babies named Alden over the last 20 years were boys, with a small share of girls.
How do you pronounce Alden?
Alden is usually pronounced AWL-den. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings