Edilson
Variant of the given Portuguese name Edison, denoting "son of Edite".
Name Census estimates that about 176 living Americans carry the first name Edilson. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Edilson today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Edilson births was 2005 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Edilson. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
176
~ 1 in 1,947,468 Americans
Peak year
2005
15 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,147
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Edilson: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Edilson from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 97 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Edilson remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Edilson by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Edilson during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Edilsons live
Origin
Meaning and history of Edilson
The name Edilson has its roots in the Portuguese language, originating from the combination of the Germanic name Edilo or Edil, meaning "wealthy" or "prosperous," and the Latin suffix "-son," which signifies "son of." This name gained popularity during the Middle Ages in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Portugal.
Edilson's earliest recorded usage dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared in Portuguese historical records and documents. However, its linguistic origins can be traced even further back to the Germanic tribes that settled in the region during the Migration Period, bringing their naming traditions with them.
One of the earliest known figures to bear the name Edilson was a Portuguese nobleman from the 13th century, Edilson de Sousa, who played a significant role in the Reconquista, the campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule. His bravery and military exploits were documented in several contemporary chronicles.
In the 15th century, Edilson Fernandes, a Portuguese explorer, accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1498. His name is etched in the annals of maritime history as one of the first Europeans to reach the Indian subcontinent by sea.
During the 16th century, Edilson Ribeiro, a Portuguese cleric and scholar, gained renown for his religious writings and contributions to the Catholic Church. His treatises on theology and philosophy were widely circulated and studied in academic circles of the time.
Another notable figure bearing the name Edilson was Edilson Almeida, a Brazilian painter and artist from the 19th century. His vibrant and captivating works, depicting the landscapes and cultural heritage of Brazil, earned him recognition both nationally and internationally.
In the realm of sports, Edilson Batista, a Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder, made a lasting impact on the game during the latter half of the 20th century. He represented the Brazilian national team and won numerous accolades, including the Copa América in 1989.
These are just a few examples of the illustrious individuals who have carried the name Edilson throughout history, each leaving an indelible mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of the name's legacy.
People
Edilson + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Edilson as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Edilson: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Edilson?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 176 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Edilson going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,947,468 US residents.
Is Edilson a common name?
We classify Edilson as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 178 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Edilson most popular?
The single biggest year for Edilson was 2005, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Edilson is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Edilson a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Edilson in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.