A FIELD REPORT ON THE NAME
Holden
preppy · literary · overcast
Origin & Meaning
AI-WrittenAn English habitational surname derived from Old English words meaning a deep valley or hollow. It crossed over from a rare family name in the early twentieth century, later bolstered by twentieth-century American literature. Registrations remained minimal until the late 1990s, when surname-style first names gained broad momentum.
Fig. 1 — Births per annum, 1902–2025
SSA Data 1902 peak: 1,757 souls, A.D. 2018 2025
2025: 1,146 born, holding steady
Estimated Age
14 yrs
Most Holdens were born around 2018 — has never once waited for a photo to develop.
Peak Reign
2018
№217 that year
Generation
Gen Alpha, 55%
then Gen Z 38% · Millennial 7%
Rarity
Top 2000 all-time
≈33K ever born · holding steady
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Estimates from SSA birth records and standard survival rates. Immigration and name changes not counted.
Holden grew up with
SSA DataCocomelon·Zoom kindergarten·Bluey
Data vs. Humans
What the data says
SSA Data
SSA: Holden peaked in 2018.
Estimated average age: 14.
What people think
Opinion LedgerAwaiting human data — cast the first votes.
Holden sounds like someone born in —
Fig. 2 — Style Coordinates
AI Seed · Votes Override at n=30 Vintage Modern
Formal Casual
Soft Strong
Cast your vote No account · one tap
In your mind, Holden sounds more like a —
Voting opens when the ledger goes live. No account. 24h cooldown per question.
Public Opinion Ledger
Ledger Opens Soon
The public has not yet weighed in on Holden. Early ballots carry the most weight.
* Early ballots — fewer than 30 cast so far. The ledger settles at 30.
First Impressions
AI-WrittenThe name still carries a faint literary baggage of tweed jackets and boarding school angst. In reality, the demographic reality is much younger: the average Holden is fourteen years old. It sounds thoughtful on paper, though over half of its bearers are currently navigating middle school homeroom. The tone is restrained, bookish, and distinctly contemporary.
Field Notes
AI-WrittenField Note 01
The name reached its all-time peak in 2018 with about two thousand births.
Field Note 02
More than ninety percent of living bearers belong to Generation Z or Generation Alpha.
Field Note 03
Although first recorded in 1902, the name sat virtually dormant on American ledgers for the entire first half of the century.
Notable Holdens
AI-WrittenHolden RobertoAngolan political leader, b. 1923
Holden Thorpchemist and academic editor, b. 1964
Ephemera — If Holden were a…
AI-WrittenCity
New Haven, Connecticut
Color
Corduroy tan
Job
Audiobook editor
And what of your name?