The first name Edmund
A boy’s name from English meaning “prosperity”, “protection”.
Pronounced /ˈɛdmənd/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Edmund means “prosperity”, “protection” in English.
From Old English Ēadmund, from ēad (“prosperity”) + mund (“protection”). Doublet of Eamon.
More names that mean protector.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 56 boys were named Edmund, making it the 650th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1997, with 66 births (#358).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Edmund with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Edmund at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 199 boys born in the United States were named Edmund, the 1,082nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1923, when 1,145 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Edmund in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Edmund in Danish, German, Polish and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Edmund
177 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Edmund BurkeAnglo-Irish statesman, political theorist and conservative philosopher (1729–1797)
- Edmund SpenserEnglish poet (c. 1552–1599)
- Edmund BartonAustralian politician, first Prime Minister of Australia and founding justice of the High , 1849–1920
- Edmund PhelpsAmerican economist, 1933–2026
- Edmund KeanEnglish actor (1787–1833)
- Edmund GwennBritish actor (1877–1959)
- Edmund LandauGerman Jewish mathematician (1877–1938)
- Edmund MuskieAmerican politician (1914–1996)
- Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount AllenbyBritish Army general (1861-1936)
- Edmund KemperAmerican serial killer (born 1948)
- Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of YorkDuke of York (1341–1402)
- Edmund RandolphAmerican attorney (1753-1813)
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Edmund mean?
- Edmund means “prosperity”, “protection” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Edmund?
- From Old English Ēadmund, from ēad (“prosperity”) + mund (“protection”). Doublet of Eamon.
- How popular is the name Edmund?
- In 2025, 56 boys born in England and Wales were named Edmund, ranking 650th. Its peak was 1997, with 66 births.
- Is Edmund a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 52,143 US babies named Edmund since 1880 were boys.
- When was Edmund most popular?
- 1923 in the United States, when 1,145 babies were named Edmund, its highest rank at 143rd.
- How do you pronounce Edmund?
- Edmund is /ˈɛdmənd/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Edmund?
- Edmond and Eamon.
- Is Edmund also a surname?
- Yes. Edmund is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.