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Why parents love Holden- Holden Caulfield is literature's most iconic teenage voice.
- The Catcher in the Rye is the most influential coming-of-age novel.
- Two syllables with a strong, literary sound: HOLE-den.
- The meaning hollow valley has quiet, pastoral depth.
- It's risen steadily — literary names are surging.
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The vibe of Holden
CaulfieldCatcher in the RyeadolescentSalingerhollow-valleyliteraryrebellioninnocence
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Origin & history of Holden
Old English hol (hollow) + denu (valley)
→ English surname Holden
→ given name
1
English roots
Holden comes from the Old English meaning hollow valley. J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye (1951) features Holden Caulfield as its narrator — the most influential teenage voice in American literature. Holden is also Australia's most iconic car brand. The name has been climbing in the US, carried by literary prestige.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Medieval as a place name; The Catcher in the Rye published 1951.
3
Today
Holden remains a beloved choice, ranking #258 in the US. 31,639 babies have been named Holden since 1902.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
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How popular is Holden?
2018
peak year
Its strongest stretch was the 2010s — when Holden was at its most popular. At its height in 2018, Holden reached #217 nationally — 1,731 babies received it that single year. Today, Holden is a moderately popular name in U.S. records (ranked #258) with about 1,425 babies named Holden each year. Holden's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 31,639 babies have been registered as Holden since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
1,731
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #217)
(ranked #217)
1,425
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
14,250
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
31,639
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
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Numerology of Holden4
Life path number
The Builder
Discipline, reliability and masterful building.
Holden's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — seeking authenticity. People named Holden tend to be perceptive, rebellious, and gifted at detecting phoniness wherever they find it.
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Detects phoniness✦
Perceptive rebel◈
Protects innocence◎
Hollow-valley depth♡
Catcher energyH8
O6
L3
D4
E5
N5
Sum: 31 → Life path 4
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Personality of Holden🏛️
Steady & reliable
When they make a promise, they keep it.
📐
Methodical
Thorough, careful, precise.
💪
Quietly powerful
Their strength is always there when it matters.
🌿
Grounded
No matter what swirls around them, they stay centred.
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Famous people named HoldenClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
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If you like Holden, you may also love◎
Names that sound like HoldenIf you love Holden, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
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Names that combine with HoldenSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Holden.
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Middle names for HoldenThe right middle name turns Holden into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Holden? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Holden →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
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