Ednah
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "pleasure, delight".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Ednah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ednah today is around 101 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ednah births was 1898 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ednah. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ednah is about 101 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ednahs were born before 1935.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ednah. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1898
9 babies that year
Average age
101
years old
1920 SSA rank
#4,535
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Ednah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ednah from the 1880s through to the 1920s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 24 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ednah 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 Ednah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ednah
The name Ednah is of Hebrew origin, with its roots traced back to ancient biblical times. It is derived from the Hebrew word "eden," which means "delight" or "pleasure." This name was likely given to girls as a symbol of joy and happiness.
In the Old Testament, Ednah is mentioned as the name of one of the wives of Lamech, a descendant of Cain. This reference is found in the book of Genesis, chapter 4, verse 19. It is one of the earliest recorded instances of the name's use.
Throughout history, the name Ednah has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Ednah Dow Cheney (1824-1904), an American novelist and reformer who was a pioneer in the women's rights movement. She was a founding member of the New England Women's Club and actively campaigned for women's suffrage.
Another prominent figure with this name was Ednah Proctor (1838-1925), an American artist and educator. She was one of the first women to attend the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and later became a respected teacher at the school.
In the realm of literature, Ednah Aiken (1876-1963) was an American author and poet. She is best known for her collection of poetry titled "Securitan," published in 1910.
Moving to the 20th century, Ednah Bethune (1917-2003) was an African-American lawyer and civil rights activist. She was one of the first Black women to be admitted to the bar in the state of Mississippi and fought tirelessly for racial equality.
Lastly, Ednah Shepherd (1924-2014) was a Canadian artist and educator. She was recognized for her contributions to the arts in Canada and received numerous awards, including the Order of Canada in 1988.
These examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals who have carried the name Ednah throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
People
Ednah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ednah 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
Ednah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ednah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ednah 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Ednah a common name?
We classify Ednah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 75 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ednah most popular?
The single biggest year for Ednah was 1898, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ednah is about 101 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ednah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ednah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ednah in the SSA data are female. 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.
Is Ednah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ednah in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ednah can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Ednah as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.