boy's name
Camden
KAM-dən
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 65,378
the United States
#205
2025 births
Camden is a boy's name of English origin meaning "enclosed valley." It named a place in Gloucestershire, took its modern fame from the London borough, and reached American use as a surname first.
- Camden is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2013, when 4,018 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,770 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1915.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Camden over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 11 |
| 1920s | 33 |
| 1930s | 9 |
| 1940s | 25 |
| 1950s | 33 |
| 1960s | 70 |
| 1970s | 137 |
| 1980s | 611 |
| 1990s | 2,757 |
| 2000s | 15,493 |
| 2010s | 30,984 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 12,938 |
What Camden means
Camden means a valley with an enclosure, or a winding valley. The elements are not securely resolved — the second is denu, a valley, but the first is argued between camp, an enclosure, and a personal name.
Where Camden comes from
Camden comes from Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, where the second element is the Old English denu, a valley. The first is less certain: campa, an enclosure or field, is the usual reading. The antiquary William Camden, whose Britannia of 1586 was the first county-by-county survey of the British Isles, took his surname from it — and Camden Town in London is named for Charles Pratt, first Earl Camden, who took his title from the family. Camden, New Jersey follows the same earl.
Camden in use
Our data shows Camden stable, peaking in 2013, at 205 in the United States against 1,437 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1915. Its American use is far ahead of its British, which is striking given that Camden Town is one of the best-known place names in London.
How popular is Camden?
In 2025, Camden was given to 1,873 babies in the United States, ranking #205 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Camden is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Camden
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Camden also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Camden over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Camden
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Camden in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Camden
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Camden — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Camden
What does the name Camden mean?
Camden means "enclosed valley," from the Old English denu, a valley, with a first element usually read as an enclosure.
Is Camden named after Camden Town?
The other way round — Camden Town is named for Earl Camden, whose title came from Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire.
Who was William Camden?
The antiquary whose Britannia of 1586 was the first county-by-county survey of the British Isles.
How popular is the name Camden?
In 2025, Camden was given to 1,873 babies in the United States, ranking #205 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Camden a girl's or a boy's name?
Camden is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Camden?
Camden has 2 syllables.
When was Camden most popular?
Camden peaked in 2013, when 4,018 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Camden?
Camden is usually shortened to Cam, Denny and Cammy.
Is Camden a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Camden currently ranks #205 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.