Find out how popular the first name Edison has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Edison by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Edison is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Edison being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 292 male babies and 11 female babies born with the name Edison.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 11 baby girls were named Edison in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Edison

The name Edison is an English surname that has been adopted as a masculine given name. It originated as an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Edisson, which was a medieval English form of the name Adam. The name Adam ultimately derives from the Hebrew word for "man" or "earth".

The name Edison first emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century, as a variant spelling of the name Adam. It was likely influenced by the similar-sounding Old English name Æddisc, meaning "wealthy" or "prosperous". Over time, the name evolved into various spellings such as Edisoune, Edisson, and eventually Edison.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Edison can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners in England. The rolls mention an individual named Edissone de Haleburn, indicating the name's use as a surname during that period.

While there are no known historical figures named Edison from ancient times or religious texts, the name gained significant recognition in the 19th and 20th centuries due to the renowned American inventor Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931). Edison was a prolific inventor whose contributions include the practical incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera.

Another notable individual named Edison was the British actor and filmmaker Edison Marshall (1894-1967), who directed several films in the 1920s and 1930s.

In the world of sports, Edison Arantes do Nascimento (1940-2022), better known as Pelé, was a legendary Brazilian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

The name Edison has also been used in literature, with the character Edison Carter appearing in the cyberpunk novel and television series "Max Headroom" by Spike Jonze and Michael Gottlieb.

Additionally, the American composer and lyricist Edison Ray Luthy (1933-2009) made significant contributions to musical theater, including collaborations with Carol Hall and John Denver.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Edison was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Edison, please contact us.

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