Hardin is an English surname related to Harding, from the Old English heard, which means "hardy" or "brave". It was a rare first name until Hardin Scott, the brooding hero of Anna Todd's After novels and their 2019 film, put it in front of a young audience. In the United States Hardin rose from number 12962 in 2017 to a peak of number 1671 in 2021 and stands at number 2117 among boys' names in 2025.