What Does the Name Holden Mean?
Holden is a boy's name of English surname (Old English place name) origin meaning “deep valley / hollow valley.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Holden |
|---|---|
| Gender | male |
| Origin | English surname (Old English place name) |
| Meaning | deep valley / hollow valley |
| Variants | Holdyn, Holdan, Holdon, Hold |
| Popularity | A literary-flavored US boys' name in the Top 300-400 in recent years. |
The meaning and origin of Holden
The name Holden means “deep valley / hollow valley” and has English surname (Old English place name) origins. A transferred English surname from a place name combining hol ('hollow, deep') and denu ('valley'). Widely associated with Holden Caulfield, protagonist of J. D. Salinger's 'The Catcher in the Rye.'
Variants and related names
Holden is related to several other names you may recognize: Holdyn, Holdan, Holdon, Hold. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Holden?
A literary-flavored US boys' name in the Top 300-400 in recent years.
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Holden mean?+
The name Holden means “deep valley / hollow valley” and is of English surname (Old English place name) origin.
What is the origin of the name Holden?+
Holden originates from English surname (Old English place name).
Is Holden a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Holden has trended in the US over time.
Holden by gender
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Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press