We all know that names like Jayden and Aiden are popular. But…how popular?
This weekend, my goal was to find out.
I sat down with the SSA’s baby name list for 2009, picked out all the -ayden names, and counted them. I counted both the number of variants and the number of babies with each variant.
Here’s a run-down of what I found, sorted by ending. (Get ready to scroll!)
-dan [8504 babies, 31 variants]
- -adan [1296]
- Adan, 1117
- Jadan, 59
- Bradan, 33
- Kadan, 33
- Aadan, 23
- Cadan, 20
- Zadan, 6
- Tadan, 5
- -aedan [390]
- Aedan, 255
- Braedan, 65
- Kaedan, 34
- Jaedan, 30
- Caedan, 6
- -aidan [5967]
- Aidan, 5749
- Jaidan, 81
- Kaidan, 67
- Caidan, 17
- Zaidan, 17
- Braidan, 13
- Haidan, 10
- Aaidan, 8
- Raidan, 5
- -aydan [851]
- Aydan, 396
- Jaydan, 246
- Braydan, 90
- Kaydan, 39
- Caydan, 32
- Zaydan, 23
- Haydan, 14
- Taydan, 6
- Raydan, 5
-den [85583 babies, 94 variants]
- -aden [17386]
- Jaden, 4111
- Kaden, 4021
- Caden, 3984
- Braden, 2017
- Aden, 1353
- Aaden, 1259
- Zaden, 155
- Haden, 129
- Bladen, 69
- Paden, 53
- Graden, 34
- Taden, 28
- Vaden, 20
- Xaden, 20
- Draden, 19
- Baden, 18
- Khaden, 18
- Shaden, 16
- Sladen, 11
- Jhaden, 9
- Breaden, 6
- Chaden, 6
- Daden, 6
- Jaaden, 6
- Keaden, 6
- Thaden, 6
- Traden, 6
- -aeden [1858]
- Braeden, 805
- Jaeden, 390
- Kaeden, 328
- Caeden, 148
- Aeden, 96
- Zaeden, 24
- Draeden, 18
- Graeden, 12
- Haeden, 12
- Raeden, 11
- Taeden, 7
- Traeden, 7
- -aiden [23390]
- Aiden, 15846
- Kaiden, 2276
- Jaiden, 2247
- Caiden, 1316
- Braiden, 556
- Raiden, 361
- Zaiden, 295
- Haiden, 225
- Aaiden, 76
- Xaiden, 48
- Laiden, 15
- Daiden, 14
- Draiden, 13
- Taiden, 13
- Khaiden, 12
- Blaiden, 10
- Baiden, 9
- Graiden, 9
- Paiden, 7
- Shaiden, 7
- Xhaiden, 7
- Naiden, 6
- Traiden, 6
- Yaiden, 6
- Gaiden, 5
- Jhaiden, 5
- -ayden [42949]
- Jayden, 17082
- Brayden, 8526
- Ayden, 4959
- Hayden, 4822
- Kayden, 2938
- Cayden, 2726
- Zayden, 741
- Rayden, 193
- Tayden, 165
- Drayden, 156
- Grayden, 132
- Aayden, 98
- Payden, 64
- Layden, 47
- Shayden, 43
- Blayden, 40
- Khayden, 29
- Trayden, 23
- Xayden, 22
- Slayden, 21
- Chayden, 19
- Thayden, 16
- Bayden, 15
- Dayden, 15
- Vayden, 14
- Jhayden, 13
- Wayden, 11
- Nayden, 10
- Clayden, 9
-din [1807 babies, 26 variants]
- -adin [575]
- Kadin, 255
- Adin, 157
- Jadin, 69
- Cadin, 42
- Aadin, 25
- Bradin, 20
- Zadin, 7
- -aedin [124]
- Jaedin, 50
- Kaedin, 34
- Braedin, 16
- Aedin, 15
- Caedin, 9
- -aidin [125]
- Aidin, 56
- Kaidin, 32
- Jaidin, 18
- Caidin, 10
- Zaidin, 9
- -aydin [983]
- Aydin, 380
- Jaydin, 278
- Braydin, 107
- Kaydin, 95
- Caydin, 44
- Zaydin, 32
- Haydin, 28
- Taydin, 12
- Raydin, 7
-dn [203 babies, 6 variants]
- -aydn [203]
- Haydn, 80
- Braydn, 45
- Jaydn, 34
- Kaydn, 29
- Aydn, 10
- Caydn, 5
-don [3479 babies, 37 variants]
- -adon [752]
- Jadon, 528
- Bradon, 60
- Kadon, 52
- Cadon, 29
- Adon, 27
- Aadon, 23
- Ladon, 9
- Gradon, 8
- Sheadon, 6
- Shadon, 5
- Zadon, 5
- -aedon [429]
- Braedon, 222
- Jaedon, 126
- Kaedon, 44
- Caedon, 27
- Aedon, 10
- -aidon [207]
- Jaidon, 94
- Aidon, 32
- Kaidon, 30
- Braidon, 23
- Caidon, 13
- Haidon, 8
- Raidon, 7
- -aydon [2091]
- Braydon, 1022
- Jaydon, 686
- Kaydon, 79
- Haydon, 76
- Graydon, 75
- Aydon, 45
- Caydon, 34
- Raydon, 16
- Zaydon, 15
- Paydon, 11
- Draydon, 9
- Shaydon, 9
- Taydon, 8
- Laydon, 6
-dun [6 babies, 1 variant]
- -aydun [6]
- Jaydun, 6
-dyn [3022 babies, 36 variants]
- -adyn [1284]
- Bradyn, 397
- Jadyn, 275
- Kadyn, 257
- Adyn, 104
- Cadyn, 83
- Aadyn, 76
- Hadyn, 31
- Zadyn, 26
- Gradyn, 24
- Khadyn, 6
- Keadyn, 5
- -aedyn [570]
- Braedyn, 172
- Jaedyn, 166
- Kaedyn, 109
- Aedyn, 45
- Caedyn, 36
- Haedyn, 15
- Zaedyn, 15
- Draedyn, 6
- Raedyn, 6
- -aidyn [931]
- Aidyn, 321
- Jaidyn, 273
- Kaidyn, 131
- Braidyn, 59
- Caidyn, 53
- Haidyn, 40
- Zaidyn, 39
- Raidyn, 10
- Xaidyn, 5
- -aydyn [237]
- Jaydyn, 89
- Aydyn, 40
- Haydyn, 32
- Braydyn, 31
- Kaydyn, 28
- Caydyn, 9
- Zaydyn, 8
-d*nn [87 babies, 7 variants]
- -aidenn [15]
- Aidenn, 15
- -aydenn [54]
- Jaydenn, 29
- Aydenn, 19
- Haydenn, 6
- -adynn [6]
- Jadynn, 6
- -aidynn [12]
- Aidynn, 6
- Jaidynn, 6
-dd*n [139 babies, 11 variants]
- -adden [71]
- Hadden, 22
- Jadden, 18
- Adden, 12
- Cadden, 8
- Kadden, 6
- Bradden, 5
- -aidden [28]
- Aidden, 21
- Jaidden, 7
- -aydden [17]
- Aydden, 12
- Jaydden, 5
- -addon [23]
- Haddon, 23
Other [162 babies, 18 variants]
- Aiyden, 37
- Jaiyden, 16
- Aodhan, 14
- Ayeden, 11
- Jahden, 11
- Aiydan, 8
- Ayedin, 6
- Breaden, 6
- Kaiyden, 6
- Keaden, 6
- Sheadon, 6
- Aiedan, 5
- Aieden, 5
- Aiiden, 5
- Jahyden, 5
- Jayeden, 5
- Jayhden, 5
- Keadyn, 5
Ok, ready to add these up?
| Ending | Babies | Variants |
|---|---|---|
| -dan | 8,504 | 31 |
| -den | 85,583 | 94 |
| -din | 1,807 | 26 |
| -dn | 203 | 6 |
| -don | 3,479 | 37 |
| -dun | 6 | 1 |
| -dyn | 3,022 | 36 |
| -d*nn | 87 | 7 |
| -dd*n | 139 | 11 |
| Other | 162 | 18 |
| TOTAL | 102,992 | 267 |
Of the (at least) 2,095,910 baby boys born last year, (at least) 102,992 were given an -ayden name. That’s over 4.9%–about 1 in 20.
Of the 14,404 boy names on the SSA’s list, 267 are -ayden names. That’s 1.9%–about 1 in 50.
Do these numbers surprise you?
Update: Wondering how many baby girls or how many babies overall received an -ayden name in 2009?
[Disclaimer: I’m assuming all of the variants above rhyme with Jayden, but I can’t make any guarantees about pronunciation. Also, I didn’t count the following: variants with 3 syllables, variants with 2-vowel endings (e.g. -dien, -deyn), variants that look like Eden and Madden, and (possible variants?) Ajdin and Dredin.]
UPDATE: Is the -Ayden Craze Over?
one year i worked in the nursery at our church and there was an aiden, aiden, caiden, braden, and hayden
Thanks for the disclaimer. I hope that Haydn isn’t being pronounced like an -Ayden name. The classical musician in me will cry. (Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn, pronounced in German and by music students everywhere HAIden, 1732-1809)
@Jen – Haydn is probably being mispronounced all over the place, unfortunately.
Oh, how I loathe the name Kaden… But anyway. I’m a bit surprised at the letter droppage, ala “Haydn” and “Kaydn.” I mean… What? Unless, of course, Haydn is being pronounced HAIden… But the odds are against us.
The sad thing is, Jadon is an actual, legitimate, has-a-history name. It’s sad to see it get lost in the -ayden craze. It’s not to my taste at all, but still…
Iloved the name Braden for a boy. We ended up having a girl and just changed the spelling so it was more feminin. Braidyn. The i and y accomplished it, I thought.
We named our son Tayden, however, I don’t see that this spelling made the list. I love this name though, obviously, I named my kid Tayden! :) I am not even sure how we came up with it….boy or girl though, we knew this was our name. Now we are due with our 2nd in Oct.(not sure what we’re having yet) and I think we’ll throw people off with the basic boy name we’ve picked this time. Beau. Simple but classic. Everyone will have an opinion of any name you pick, that’s why you DON’T tell anyone what you’ve picked until after you have had it! They can’t say too much then.
There is certainly an “Aiden” trend but also a trend with names ending with “n”. In my family, this generation of kids’ names all end in “n”. There’s an Austin, Ashlynne, Clayton, Brooklyn, Tayden, Tristian and Addison. None of us thought of this when we were naming our kids, it just worked out this way. However, the next child to join this group will be breaking the cycle and I think it’s about time!
@Amy – Tayden is on the list! Here’s the current popularity graph for Tayden.