Ayden
Boy name · #257 in 2025 · Distinctive
Ayden ranks #257 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 1,343 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #87, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,340 boys born in 2025 was named Ayden.
The 35-year story
Ayden first appears in the Social Security records in 1990, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 6,234 boys were named Ayden — good for #68 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Ayden per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ayden against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ayden in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ayden is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ayden is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ayden is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Ayden is most common in MS (1.5 per 1,000), NV (1.4 per 1,000), GA (1.4 per 1,000), AL (1.3 per 1,000), FL (1.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Ayden is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Ayden
Statistically, parents drawn to Ayden tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kaiden, Brayden, Camden, Cayden, and Kaden.
KaidenBraydenCamdenCaydenKadenCadenKaydenHolden
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ayden | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,343 | #257 |
| 2024 | 1,684 | #213 |
| 2023 | 1,912 | #190 |
| 2022 | 2,198 | #171 |
| 2021 | 2,642 | #143 |
| 2020 | 3,025 | #122 |
| 2019 | 3,367 | #114 |
| 2018 | 3,685 | #104 |
| 2017 | 3,964 | #99 |
| 2016 | 4,506 | #92 |
| 2015 | 4,891 | #87 |
| 2014 | 5,632 | #74 |
| 2013 | 6,084 | #71 |
| 2012 | 6,234 | #68 |
| 2011 | 6,129 | #70 |
| 2010 | 5,144 | #78 |
| 2009 | 4,998 | #87 |
| 2008 | 5,058 | #91 |
| 2007 | 4,325 | #102 |
| 2006 | 3,596 | #119 |
| 2005 | 2,722 | #147 |
| 2004 | 2,183 | #182 |
| 2003 | 1,830 | #201 |
| 2002 | 863 | #321 |
| 2001 | 452 | #506 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ayden a popular boy name?
Ayden ranked #257 among boys in 2025 with 1,343 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #87.
When was the name Ayden most popular?
Ayden peaked in 2012, when 6,234 American boys received the name (ranked #68 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ayden?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,340 newborn American boys was named Ayden. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.