“Gooden” has two main uses: as a rare verb in English and as a family name.
Verb meaning
As a verb, “to gooden” is an old or dialect word with a few related senses.
- It can mean “to make good, to improve or perfect something.”
- Intransitively, it can mean “to become good,” or in some dialect use, “to grow, improve, or prosper.”
Dialect custom meaning
There is also a specific dialect sense connected with an old English custom.
- “To gooden” can mean going from house to house around Christmas, especially on St Thomas’s Day, to receive small gifts or alms.
- This sense is historically linked to terms like “gooding” and regional festive traditions.
Surname meaning
“Gooden” is also an English surname with a meaning related to “good.”
- It is often explained as coming from a nickname meaning “good son” or “good friend.”
- It may be related to older personal names such as “Godwine,” combining elements meaning “good” and “friend.”