Jayden is a modern invented name that emerged in the United States in the late 20th century, gaining rapid popularity and becoming one of the most common names for boys in the 2000s. Variant of Jaden, it shares the popular den suffix sound found in similar names like Braden, Hayden, and Aidan. Etymology The modern name invention of Jayden likely blends the "Jay" from names like Jason with the "den" sound from names such as Braden, Hayden, Jordan, and Zayden. It is sometimes considered a variant of the biblical name Jadon (or Yadon), which means "God will judge" in Hebrew and appears in the Bible in Nehemiah 3:7. However, Jayden itself has no historical or biblical roots; it is a product of contemporary naming trends in the United States. Usage and Popularity The name Jayden first appeared on the U.S. Social Security Administration's list of the 1,000 most popular boys' names in 1994, entering at number 850. Its rise dramatically accelerated following the birth of Jaden Smith in 1998 (son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith), with usage of the name about doubling between 1998 and 1999. Notably, the spelling Jayden continued to rapidly rise in popularity after 2003, unlike the variant Jaden, which stalled. It peaked at the fourth rank for boys in 2010, showing tremendous growth over only two decades, and has since declined. While often given to boys, Jayden is also used as a unisex name, with occurrences for girls as well, though less frequently. Outside the United States, Jayden has seen notable popularity in Australia, where it was a top 100 name in the state of Victoria as early as 1989. In Canada and England and Wales, it also rose in popularity during the 2000s and 2010s. Related Names Other spelling variants include Jadyn, Jaeden, Jaiden, Jaidyn, and Jaydon, all of which share the same invented origin and similar pronunciation. Meaning: Invention; possibly "God will judge" (if linked to Jadon) Origin: Modern American invented name Type: Unisex given name (predominantly masculine) Usage Regions: United States, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom