The name "Haden" is spelled as /ˈheɪdən/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first sound, /h/, represents the voiceless glottal fricative, while the next sound, /eɪ/, is a diphthong that represents the vowel sounds in "hey" and "day". The third sound, /d/, represents the voiced dental plosive, and the final sound, /ən/, represents the unstressed syllable with the schwa vowel sound. The spelling "Haden" is a common variant of the name "Hayden", which means "heather-covered hill" in English.
Haden is a proper noun that has two main definitions. Firstly, it is an English and Irish surname of Old English origin. The name is derived from the pre-7th century Old English word "hǣþ," meaning heath or heather, and "denu," meaning valley. Therefore, Haden is a toponymic surname that signifies someone who lived near or in a heather valley. This surname originated as a locational name, referring to individuals who resided in places called Hadden or Haddon. It is believed that the Haden name was first recorded in Staffordshire, England.
Secondly, outside its use as a surname, Haden is also a personal given name. As a given name, Haden is predominantly masculine and has origins in different cultures. In some cases, it can be considered a variant spelling of the name Hayden, which derives from the Old English elements "hēg," meaning hay, and "denu," meaning valley. This meaning associates Haden as someone who resides in a hay valley.
Today, the name Haden is uncommonly used as a first name and is more frequently found as a surname.