Walden
From Old English walh (“Welshman”), genitive plural wala + denu (“valley”).
Every Walden since 1908 — 1,527 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Walden
Walden is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,233 in 2025 with 37 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1908, 1,527 American babies have been named Walden. Its peak came in 2023, when 55 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Walden stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Walden year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | #3,233 |
| 2024 | 38 | #3,210 |
| 2023 | 55 | #2,476 |
| 2022 | 36 | #3,332 |
| 2021 | 31 | #3,648 |
| 2020 | 44 | #2,803 |
| 2019 | 47 | #2,732 |
| 2018 | 54 | #2,443 |
| 2017 | 46 | #2,711 |
| 2016 | 40 | #2,987 |
| 2015 | 39 | #3,018 |
| 2014 | 28 | #3,781 |
| 2013 | 39 | #2,952 |
| 2012 | 21 | #4,674 |
| 2011 | 18 | #5,188 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5,236 |
| 2009 | 7 | #10,918 |
| 2008 | 16 | #5,755 |
| 2007 | 12 | #7,057 |
| 2006 | 9 | #8,681 |
| 2005 | 8 | #9,061 |
| 2004 | 5 | #13,132 |
| 2003 | 8 | #8,598 |
| 2002 | 5 | #12,415 |
| 2001 | 6 | #10,496 |
| 2000 | 7 | #9,085 |
| 1995 | 5 | #10,273 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 6 | #6,215 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | 8 | #3,825 |
| 1965 | 5 | #4,414 |
| 1960 | 9 | #3,071 |
| 1955 | 14 | #2,217 |
| 1950 | 10 | #2,574 |
| 1945 | 6 | #3,323 |
| 1940 | 10 | #2,474 |
| 1935 | 8 | #2,934 |
| 1930 | 20 | #1,691 |
| 1925 | 18 | #1,932 |
| 1920 | 20 | #1,816 |
| 1915 | 22 | #1,502 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Walden mean?
From Old English walh (“Welshman”), genitive plural wala + denu (“valley”).
How popular is the name Walden in 2025?
Walden ranked #3,233 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 37 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Walden?
1,527 babies have been named Walden in the United States since 1908, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Walden most popular?
Walden peaked in 2023, when 55 newborns received the name.
Is Walden a boy or girl name?
Walden is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Walden rising or falling?
Walden is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.