I like it.
Beware, though: it’s difficult to be mad at “Hayden”.
Hm, I thought the pronounciation was pretty straight forward. Hay-den. The only thing I was thinking might be a drag is that everyone would think his name was Aiden. They do sound similar.
Are there really a lot of female Haydens about? It’s funny, a friend of mine wanted me to name the baby Hayden regardless of the sex. She thought Hayden would make a nice girl’s name as well. I already have a girl’s name picked out…and I wasn’t sure about that. To me that just seems too trendy, but maybe not?
Yeah. Sorry; I understand you have a family history with the name, but it’s one of those that just screams trendy and pretentious for me. I’d expect the kid to have a brother named Ethan and a sister named Taylor. It’s cool to name a kid something with personal significance, but if I heard it I would assume it came out of “The Big Book of Trendy Baby Names” that so many parents seem to be using nowadays. Plus, if it’s rising in popularity now, it may hit in a big way in three or four years. Maybe it makes you sound cutting edge, but I sure wouldn’t want to be a thirty-year old woman named Tiffany right now.
People won’t bother asking the story - they’ll just think it without saying anything. After all, I don’t ask every Dakota or Kaylee where the name came from. Plus, frankly, it’s a rather gender-ambiguous name. Which isn’t a bad thing - I’m not opposed to gender ambiguity in any way. But I think giving a boy a gender-ambiguous name isn’t doing him any favors either.
I really like it, it has a nice sound. And I don’t think it’s merely “trendy;” I don’t know anyone named Hayden.
Hi, Shana.
To be honest, I can’t say that I’d choose “Hayden”, but, well, it’s your baby, and your grandfather! 
And it’s sort of nice to keep family names going.
So, when is the whatsis-gram and how soon will you know re. boy or girl? hehehe - perhaps you will get a shock like my brother and his wife did and find you have twin. (Or MORE!)
For what it’s worth, I like it. It’s a good name, and I like the idea of keeping family first names alive in one capacity or another. My grandfather’s and father’s name was Albert, which is my middle name. I’m happy about that, since I don’t like naming children after their fathers, and anyway, I’m not all that wild about the name Albert.
I can understand how you can be certain that you’re going to have a son. Obviously you’re sure of it, because you’re having a sonogram. But in case you’re wrong, they won’t find anything, you know. Better get a daughterogram, too, just to be sure.
Family names are always good—if it’s really a family name. (I wouldn’t call my kid Shitbreath just because some relative had that name.)
Otherwise, Hayden sounds really trendy—like a character on a prime-time teen soap opera.
Sorry, it was the first thing that sprang to my mind.
Ooh, Shana suddenly the name Hayden sounds REALLY good! Take a look at this thread (which contains a link to this story of a group of Mexican immigrant high school kids beating the M.I.T. team in a competition. It’s al lovely story (although a bit sad).
I think we have to look at the inevitable Child’s Name Grade School Nickname Test.
Regardless of his proclivities, you just know that he will, at some point, be called “Gay-den” by cruel, immature children. Which is no big deal (or at least it shouldn’t be, I guess).
I think it would make an excellent middle name. Many of my Scottish family have a grandparent’s family name as a middle name (usually the grandmother’s).
Heh, my oldest son is (accidentally) named for the creators of South Park. I never noticed it until he was about a year old.
When I was pregnant with the little one, we couldn’t agree on a name, until we were watching Independence Day, and I commented that the little boy’s name, Dylan, was kind of cool. My SO said, “Yeah, I like that.” So that’s what my baby’s name is.
Yep, cartoonists and movie characters, my kids. 
Back to the OP: I like Hayden, but it is quite popular, on the parenting message boards that I frequent. There may be five other kids with that name in his kindergarten class, judging from my limited sample. I think it’s dignified enough for a grown-up, which is my own test of baby names. Kids are going to make fun of other kids’ names, regardless, so I don’t take that into account.
I think that sounds very nice. I say go for it!
I like the name Hayden - not too popular, not too trendy-sounding, not a freakishly zen-sounding name. There was a musician from Toronto back in the 90s named Hayden, but other than that, I can’t think of any other famous people with that name (yes, I’m positive they are out there and I don’t need a list, and one or two have already been mentioned in this thread, I’m just saying I personally haven’t heard the name that often).
No matter what name you choose, there will always be people out there who just can’t stand it, will call you trendy, or foolish, or that you’re setting your child up for failure from the get-go, but it’s all so silly. If your child hates his name that darn much, he can change it himself. (Which football player was it, Mack Strong? Changed his name when he was a young boy because he hated his real name? To “Mack Strong”. Maybe not what you’d call a good change, but it sure makes him sound some tough, huh?) I’ve known people with ridiculous names who were popular, and people with common names who got lousy nicknames and were unpopular.
It would also be cool if your last name was “Bedatway”. 
Wasn’t Sterling Hayden in I Dream Of Jeannie or some such?
He was also in The Godfather, as the corrupt police captain.
The OP said that Hayden is a single-sillable word. Then I see several people saying it’s just “hay+den”. So it does sound to me like there is serious confusion going on.
People with a Northern Hispanic accent pronounce Gomez as Gómez. Southern-Hispanic accent, Gómes. Gringos, Go-omes. So I’d say that one was a bad example to pick, dearie. 
Actually,** Nava**, she said this:
Unless I’m missing the post where she said “Hayden” was one syllable? If so, then I am really pronouncing it wrong! And I wouldn’t have the first clue where to begin figuring out how to say it!
There are 2 Hayden’s in my 4 y.o. son’s preschool class. One is a boy. One is a girl.
The chuckleheads are out there bastardizing good solid Irish boy’s names and making them girl’s names. Although, I may be bitter. My son’s name is Riley. A good solid Irish boy’s name.
I like it! I like that it’s your grandfather’s name and I just like the name in general. I am also someone who has a last name as a first name (McKenzie) so I can’t be TOO against the trend. hehe
Something to consider, speaking from experience, is people mixing up last name and first name. I have had people ask me, after I have introduced myself by my first name, if it is my last name - as if it’s a normal thing for people to introduce themselves in the manner of James Bond. I don’t even have a last name that could REMOTELY be a first name. It used to be annoying but it’s rather funny now.
But I have to say I think the fact that it is a family name is the niftiest part of it all. Sentiment is more important than a current trend. I am considering when (and if) in the future I have a child using my grandfather’s name. Googling his name doesn’t even bring up people - it’s a made up name that will constantly be confused with some more established names but I think it’s pretty darn cool anyway!
I find it amusing that people are confused on the pronunciation, think it’s trendy and a another “last name as first name”. Hayden is a common, old-fashioned name (for a boy). Perhaps not many dopers know a lot of seniors?
My hubby was pushing to name our baby Hayden if it’s a girl. I did veto that on the basis that as a girl’s name, it is becoming trendy.
We still are no where near an agreement on a name. :rolleyes: