Holding steady, #8,910 for boys today.
Popularity of Calden since 1988
Babies named Calden per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 27 |
| 2010s | 40 |
| 2020s | 33 |
Meaning & origin
Calden is a rare and modern boys' name in the United States. First recorded in 1988, it has never been widely used. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when it ranked 8,910th, and as of 2025 it remains a distinctive choice, given to about 1 in 213,510 newborn boys. The name may have originated as a variation of the surname Caldwell, which describes a person living near a cold spring, but it could also be a purely invented name following the pattern of other contemporary '-den' names. Its trajectory has been stable, meaning it has not experienced sudden surges or declines in usage. Though no specific top states are associated with Calden, it exemplifies a trend of parents seeking rare, surname-inspired first names.
Calden is a rare modern American name. It may be a respelling or contraction of the surname Caldwell, which derives from Old English 'cald' (cold) and 'wella' (spring, stream), as a place name for someone living near a cold spring. Alternatively, it could be an invented name combining elements like 'Cal' and the popular suffix '-den'. Its earliest recorded use in U.S. Social Security data is 1988, suggesting a contemporary coinage.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cal, Cally
Variants: Caldwell, Caldenn
Sibling names for Calden
Names that share Calden's style, for a brother or sister.
