Where does the name Edward come from?

Edward is a boy name of Old English origin.

Is Edward a boy or a girl name?

Edward is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Edward are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Edward in 2023?

Edward ranks #213 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1924 with 21,223 babies.

How do you pronounce Edward?

Edward is pronounced ED-ward (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Edward?

Edward is also written as Eduardo, Édouard, Edvard.

A name from Old English · Boy

Edward

From Old English ēad, "wealth, prosperity, fortune," + weard, "guard, protector" — "fortunate guardian." St. Edward the Confessor was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

1,300,414 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,737 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

EFrom Old English ēad, "wealth, prosperity, fortune," + weard, "guard, protector" — "fortunate guardian." St. Edward the Confessor was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Edward".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Eduardo Most common Édouard Edvard

Quick answers

People often ask about Edward.

What does the name Edward mean?: Edward means from Old English ēad, "wealth, prosperity, fortune," + weard, "guard, protector" — "fortunate guardian." St. Edward the Confessor was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
Where does the name Edward come from?: Edward is a boy name of Old English origin.
Is Edward a boy or a girl name?: Edward is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Edward are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Edward in 2023?: Edward ranks #213 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1924 with 21,223 babies.
How do you pronounce Edward?: Edward is pronounced ED-ward (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Edward?: Edward is also written as Eduardo, Édouard, Edvard.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.