The first name Edward
A boy’s name meaning “wealth”, “riches”, “ward”.
Pronounced /ˈɛdwɚd/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Edward means “wealth”, “riches”, “ward”.
From Middle English Edward, from Old English Ēadweard, from Proto-West Germanic *Audawardu, from Proto-Germanic *Audawarduz, corresponding to ed (“wealth, riches”) + ward (“ward, guard”), doublet of Eduard.
More names that mean rich.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 1,385 boys were named Edward, making it the 31st most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2015, with 2,593 births (#26).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Edward with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Edward at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,591 boys born in the United States were named Edward, the 224th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 21,126 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.
Edward in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Edward in Polish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Edward
- Ned
- Neddy
Famous people named Edward
1,148 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Edward SnowdenAmerican whistleblower and former NSA contractor (born 1983)
- Edward JennerEnglish physician, scientist and pioneer of vaccination (1749–1823)
- Edward GibbonEnglish historian and politician (1737–1794)
- Edward NortonAmerican actor, born 1969
- Edward Victor AppletonEnglish physicist (1892–1965)
- Edward Mills PurcellAmerican physicist (1912-1997)
- Edward ElgarEnglish composer (1857-1934)
- Edward Bulwer-LyttonBritish statesman and author (1803–1873)
- Edward O. WilsonAmerican biologist, naturalist, and writer (1929–2021)
- Edward SapirAmerican linguist and anthropologist (1884-1939)
- Edward the ConfessorAnglo-Saxon King of England from 1042 to 1066
- John Edward GrayBritish zoologist (1800–1875)
Questions
- What does the name Edward mean?
- Edward means “wealth”, “riches”, “ward”.
- How popular is the name Edward?
- In 2025, 1,385 boys born in England and Wales were named Edward, ranking 31st. Its peak was 2015, with 2,593 births.
- What are nicknames for Edward?
- Common nicknames for Edward include Ned, Neddy.
- Is Edward a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,308,955 US babies named Edward since 1880 were boys.
- When was Edward most popular?
- 1924 in the United States, when 21,126 babies were named Edward, its highest rank at 9th.
- How do you pronounce Edward?
- Edward is /ˈɛdwɚd/, 2 syllables.
- Is Edward also a surname?
- Yes. Edward is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.