Edith first name popularity, history and meaning

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

Meaning of Edith

Of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning "prosperous in war" or "fortunate in battle".

Popularity of Edith by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Edith is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Edith being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 602 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Edith.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 602
2022 0 603
2021 0 638
2020 0 649
2019 0 626
2018 0 604
2017 0 655
2016 0 641
2015 0 598
2014 0 462
2013 0 386
2012 0 365
2011 0 351
2010 0 326
2009 0 333
2008 0 358
2007 0 400
2006 0 445
2005 0 446
2004 0 404
2003 0 389
2002 0 459
2001 0 428
2000 0 462
1999 0 426
1998 0 412
1997 0 430
1996 0 408
1995 7 577
1994 5 507
1993 0 412
1992 8 427
1991 0 444
1990 0 423
1989 0 360
1988 0 335
1987 0 315
1986 5 339
1985 5 307
1984 0 294
1983 6 288
1982 0 296
1981 0 322
1980 5 339
1979 5 338
1978 0 330
1977 0 339
1976 0 418
1975 0 394
1974 0 402

The history of the first name Edith

The name Edith is an Old English name derived from the Germanic words "ead" meaning "prosperous" or "rich" and "hild" meaning "battle" or "war". The combined meaning is often interpreted as "prosperous in battle" or "rich warrior". The name first emerged in the 7th century AD in what is now England.

The name gained popularity during the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain and was borne by several early English nobles and royalty, including Edith of Wessex, the queen consort of King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century. The name can also be found in early Christian texts and legends, such as the 9th-century story of St. Edith of Polesworth, a nun who founded a monastery in Warwickshire, England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Edith of Mercia, a 9th-century Anglo-Saxon princess and daughter of King Eadwulf of Mercia. Another notable early bearer of the name was Edith of Wilton, a 10th-century abbess and daughter of King Edward the Elder.

In the 12th century, the name was held by Edith Plantagenet, the daughter of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. She was also known as Edith of Normandy and was a Benedictine nun.

The name Edith continued to be popular among the nobility and aristocracy throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. Some notable examples include Edith of Campdavaine, a 13th-century French noblewoman and daughter of William de Forz, and Edith of Wilton, a 14th-century English nun and writer.

During the Victorian era, the name experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in England and the United States. This was likely due to the influence of literary figures such as the English novelist Edith Wharton (1862-1937) and the American poet Edith Matilda Thomas (1854-1925).

Other famous bearers of the name throughout history include Edith Stein (1891-1942), a German Jewish philosopher and Catholic convert who was canonized as a saint; Edith Piaf (1915-1963), the renowned French singer and cultural icon; and Edith Wilson (1872-1961), the second wife of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson who acted as a steward and de facto president during the final years of her husband's administration due to his illness.

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 Edith was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Edith first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 8, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/edith-meaning-and-history/.

"Edith first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/edith-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 8 November, 2024

Edith first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/edith-meaning-and-history/.

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