Holden
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Holden
Holden is a classic case of a name that jumped out of a book and onto birth certificates--though it took quite a while. Parents who loved J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are flocking to the name of its hero, Holden Caulfield -- not coincidentally in tune with the Hudson-Hayden-Colton field of names.
Holden for boys#297 US
(Trivia note: Salinger supposedly came up with the name while looking at a movie poster promoting a film starring William Holden and Joan Caulfield, though other sources say he was named after Salinger's friend Holden Bowler.)
But can Holden's entry into the Top 1000 really be owed to the classic novel? Possibly not, given how frequently it has been challenged, censored, and banned in the classroom. While this may not stop parents today, it was given to no more than 12 American boys a year, right up until the mid-1980s.
Holden's actual introduction into the mainstream likely has more to do with the introduction of the character Holden Snyder to the soap, As the World Turns. Played by Jon Hensley, the character first appeared in 1985 and by 1987, it was in the Top 1000 and on the rise.
Among the celebs who have chosen Holden are Brendan Fraser and Mira Sorvino.
In Australia, only a car-lover would choose this name, which is inextricably linked with the car-brand.
Holden for girls#13841 US
Literary hero Holden Caulfield of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is now inspiring the names of baby girls. His sister Phoebe’s name would be the more conventional pick, but if girls are being called Hayden and Hudson, Holden is certainly fair game as well.
Pronounced HOL-den.
As of October 2026, Holden ranked #297 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #217 in 2018, Nameberry popularity #376.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #291 | 1,218 | 634.1 |
| 2015 | #291 | 1,254 | 654.2 |
| 2016 | #270 | 1,356 | 714.5 |
| 2017 | #242 | 1,531 | 827.1 |
| 2018 | #217 | 1,731 | 953.1 |
| 2019 | #250 | 1,466 | 817.1 |
| 2020 | #227 | 1,648 | 954.8 |
| 2021 | #236 | 1,506 | 860.8 |
| 2022 | #283 | 1,219 | 698.2 |
| 2023 | #286 | 1,176 | 687.5 |
| 2024 | #281 | 1,205 | 699.4 |
| 2025 | #297 | 1,140 | 667.4 |
World rankings
Holden for boys
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Holden on lists
Famous Holdens
- Holden BowlerBoy
American athlete, singer and businessman
- Holden FurberBoy
American historian
- Holden Chester RichardsonBoy
U.S. Navy aviator
- Holden Álvaro RobertoBoy
Angolan activist and politician
- (Herbert) Holden ThorpBoy
American chemist
- Holden John Seguso (b. 1988)Boy
son of tennis players Robert and Carling Bassett Seguso
- Holden Richard Schroder (b. 1992)Boy
son of actor Rick Schroder
- Holden John Dorough (b. 2003)Boy
son of singer Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys
- Holden Fletcher Fraser (b. 2004)Boy
son of actor Brendan Fraser
- Holden Paul Terry Backus (b. 2009)Boy
son of actors Mira Sorvino and Christopher Backus
- Holden Everett Ladwig (b. 2009)Boy
son of pair skater Mark Ladwig
- Holden Robert Jahangiri (b. 2013)Boy
son of actress Kate Levering and businessman Reza Jahangiri
- Jack Holden Marsden (b. 2001)Boy
son of actor James Marsden
- Finnigan Holden McCormack (b. 2002)Boy
son of actor Eric McCormack and Janet Holden
Holden in pop culture
- Holden CaulfieldBoy
main character in J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye"
- HoldenBoy
character in James Patterson's Maximum Ride
- Holden McNeilBoy
character in "Chasing Amy"
- Holden SnyderBoy
character on American soap opera "As the World Turns"
- Holden StraussBoy
character in the TV series "Pretty Little Liars"
- Holden SpenceBoy
from the movie "Everyone Says I Love You"
- Holden MaxwellBoy
main male character in Kristen Ashley's The Gamble
- Holden MessengerBoy
character in Kiera Cass's "The Heir"
- Holden DippledorfBoy
character in DisneyChannel's "Liv and Maddie"
- Holden MatthewsBoy
character on Freeform's "Beyond"
- Holden CarverBoy
main character in the DC/Wildstorm Sleeper comics
- HoldenBoy
Australian automaker
- Thomas "Holden" WortherBoy
character in the movie "The Good Girl"
- Holden RadcliffeBoy
character in the Marvel TV series "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."
- HoldenBoy
character in American Horror Story season 5
- Holden FordBoy
character in the Netflix series "Mindhunter"
- Holden Reid BarclayBoy
main male character in Scarlett Avery’s book “Bad Boy SEALs”.