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David because it sounds more like a name. It sounds strong yet friendly. Cliche, but timeless. I like Alden but prefer Arden. They are the kinds of surnames that do not stand out too much as first names. There are more attractive surname-to-first-names to choose.

I love the name David. I'd prefer Aiden over Alden.

Alden! David, while handsome, is too bland for my liking.

I'd choose Alden, I like the actual meaning of 'old friend' but I'd also be using it as a reference to alder trees.
David is sort of a nothing name in comparison, it's good and I would say that I like it but it's very overused.

I would choose David; it is classy and strong (even though, I have a very negative association...irl I could never use the name).

I've known two Davids and nether one has positive memories for me so I'll choose Alden. It's a name you don't hear very much and I like the way it sounds.

ALden, or ALLden? Too complicated. David is excellent, a timeless classic. My birth surname is Davies, I realised I was pregnant when my first child kicked me during a David Attenborough TV programme, and so my son's first mn is David. For a short while, when he was about 5, we went on holiday and he told his new friends that his name was David (instead of Peter). This didn't last, but I was glad he enjoyed his mn as well.

David, classic and Biblical
Don't like nn Al

I like them about the same, but Alden would feel more like it's my style (for some reason my family just doesn't really do Biblical/Hebrew-origin names) so for a son of my own I'd lean Alden.
I might (!?) rather see my kid date a David than an Alden though, lol.
David has avid in it (I'm weird, I notice these things, but the name seems slightly ... avid to me, like a driven ambitious person - that could be good or bad or neutral), and seems traditional and smart. I think nickname Dave is nice - generic these days, which I'm neutral about, and friendlier than David.
Alden sounds more modern preppyish, like the kind of name that basically traditional parents give a first child when they are really excited and feel like traditional names might be boring. I don't love surnames as firstnames - they seem sort of aspirational, like want-to-sound as if they have the surname in their family, esp when it's an English surname - but Alden doesn't come off totally surnamey.
I met an Alden once, my son's age (now teenaged). His little brother was named Charles (Charlie). They didn't call him Al, but it's a potential thing that could happen - I dunno, it might actually be cool.
If I were wrangling between David and Alden, I'd consider Dean instead of either.

This message was edited 4/18/2024, 9:41 PM

Alden, I would not want to risk that David would become a Dave.

I've never known a nice David. Alden gets my vote. It's also a more interesting name.