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    The first name Walden

    A boy’s name from English meaning “welshman”, “valley”.

    2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    English origin

    Walden means “welshman”, “valley” in English.

    From Old English walh (“Welshman”), genitive plural wala + denu (“valley”).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Walden at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 37 boys born in the United States were named Walden, the 3,233rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2023, when 55 were.

    03060 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    1,527
    babies named Walden since 1880
    #3,233
    rank in 2025
    2023
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Walden

    2 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Bobby Darin
      American singer and actor (1936–1973)
    • Bishop W. Perkins
      American politician (1841-1894)

    More English boys’ names

    All 216 names of English origin

    Questions

    What does the name Walden mean?
    Walden means “welshman”, “valley” in English.
    What is the origin of the name Walden?
    From Old English walh (“Welshman”), genitive plural wala + denu (“valley”).
    Is Walden a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,527 US babies named Walden since 1880 were boys.
    When was Walden most popular?
    2023 in the United States, when 55 babies were named Walden, its highest rank at 2,476th.
    Is Walden also a surname?
    Yes. Walden is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.