Arden Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity, & Nicknames

What Does Arden Mean?

Arden originally referred to the “Garden of Eden” in Hebrew. It’s also based on the Latin “ardere,” meaning “to be ardent” or “to burn.” This is why Arden’s other meanings include “passionate,” “eager,” and “fiery.”

Arden is associated with the Shakespearean Arden Forest, which gives it the meaning of “great forest.” Arden is unisex, but began as an English surname linked to the Celtic/Gaelic “ardu,” meaning “high.” It denoted someone living in the “valley of the eagle” or “high” land. This derives from the Old English “earn,” meaning “eagle,” and “denu,” meaning “valley.”

What Is the Origin of the Name Arden?

Arden originated with an ancient Hebrew word that describes the Garden of Eden. Similarly, Shakespeare named a “great forest,” Arden Forest, in the play “As You Like It” to honor his mother, Mary Arden. Arden as a forest is also linked to the Ardennes forest in Thomas Lodge’s Rosalynde.

Arden was first an English surname taken from the region of Arden in Warwickshire, England. When appearing as Ardennes, Arden points to another forest located between northeastern France and eastern Belgium.

By 1910, Arden’s main associations included the iconic beauty company Elizabeth Arden, named so by its founder, Florence Graham.

How Popular Is the Name Arden?

Arden is generally an uncommon unisex name that appears more for boys than girls. It ranked between 1,329th and 2,012th over the last few years (with an increase in 2023).

Arden is usually among the top 1,000 names for U.S. boys, though it peaked at 466th in 1934. It has become less popular over the years and ranked 1081st in 2024.

How Do I Pronounce Arden?

Arden is pronounced “AHR-den” in English.

Is Arden a Boy or Girl Name?

Arden is a unisex name but is much more common for boys than girls.

Variations of Arden

You’ll find many different spelling choices where Arden is concerned.

• Ardan (English)
• Ardeen (English)
• Ardene (English)
• Ardian (Albanian)
• Ardin (English)
• Ardine (French)
• Ardn (Latin)
• Ardon (English)
• Ardyn (Latin)
• Arrdan (English)
• Arrden (Latin)
• Arrdin (English)
• Arrdyn (English)

Nicknames for Arden

Check out the cool nicknames for Arden you’ve got at your fingertips.

• Ard
• Arda
• Ardee
• Ardie
• Ardy
• Aria
• Arie
• DeeDee
• Den
• Deni
• Denie
• Denny

Similar Names to Arden

These names are similar to Arden, and many also end in “-n.”

• Alek
• Archer
• Arjun
• Asher
• Carmen
• Carson
• Declan
• Elias
• Everett
• Gordon
• Griffin
• Harlan
• Hudson
• Jayden
• Jenson
• Jordan
• Phineas
• Quinn
• Silas
• Tristan

Middle Names for Arden

Arden will look lovely with any of these sweet baby names.

• Calvin
• Elijah
• Emilio
• Faye
• Finch
• Fox
• Grace
• Jasper
• Juno
• Leigh
• Lennox
• Mackenzie
• Magnus
• Matthew
• Maxwell
• Olivia
• Reed
• Rhys
• Sebastian
• Tate

Sibling Names for Arden

Your Arden will love having a sister or brother with any of these distinct baby names.

• Alice
• Audrey
• Avril
• Callum
• Charmaine
• Ethan
• Flynn
• Hallie
• Harper
• Hazel
• Leif
• Logan
• Marley
• Pauline
• Reid
• Robin
• Rowan
• Sunny
• Tate
• Zane

Famous People Named Arden

There may be more famous people named Arden than you originally thought!

• Arden Cho: American actress.
• Arden Eddie: Canadian baseball player.
• Arden Hayes: American child prodigy.
• Arden Haynes: Canadian businessman.
• Arden Hilliard: Hypocrites’ Club member at Oxford University.
• Arden Jones: Californian rapper.
• Arden Key: American football player.
• Arden L. Bement Jr.: American scientist.
• Arden Maddison: English footballer.
• Arden Rose: American actress.
• Arden R. Smith: Member of the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship.
• Arden Sessler: Brother of Siegi Sessler, a London restaurateur and club-owner.

Arden in Popular Culture

Discover how Arden has appeared throughout plays, comics, and video games.

• Arden: Knight character from the Fire Emblem game series.
• Arden Lyn: Female assassin from the video game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi.
• Arden of Feversham: Title of a 1592 play by Thomas Kyd.
• Dale Arden: Character appearing in Flash Gordon.
• Enoch Arden: Character in the 1864 poem by Lord Tennyson.
• Jane Arden: Character and title from the comic strip of the same name.

Arden FAQs

These are even more facts focused on the background of the unisex name Arden.

What Does the Name Arden Mean Biblically?

In the Hebrew Bible, Arden is based on a Hebrew word used to describe the “Garden of Eden.” It’s considered a solitary place known for its otherworldly beauty. Shakespeare took this idea from the Bible and used Arden (his mother’s surname) to describe the “great forest” in the play “As You Like It.”

What Does Arden Mean in Gaelic?

Though Arden can mean “eagle valley” in Old English, it’s also linked to the Gaelic “ardu,” meaning “high” or “high land.” Many areas of high land throughout the United Kingdom have been named Arden. These include Henley-in-Arden, Tanworth-in-Arden, and Hampton-in-Arden. In addition, there are some villages called Arden located in Scotland.

Where Did the Arden Family Come From?

Arden is an English surname that is also a location name and a unisex first name. It first appeared as the last name for noble English landholders around the 1066 Norman Conquest. The original Arden family was located in various areas of England, such as Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, and Shropshire.