Boy name · Old English
Edward
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: rich guardianEdward is a boy's name that comes from Old English and means "rich guardian". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Rich guardian
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #224 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Edward
As a boy's name, Edward comes from Old English and means "rich guardian". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Edward on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Edward on 3 lists.
“Rich guardian; Old English. Royal, polished and timeless”
From Boy middle names, classic boy middle names
“Rich guardian; Old English. Ned, Ted or Eddie for short”
From Classic boy names, timeless boy names
“Rich guardian; Old English. The Confessor rebuilt Westminster Abbey”
From Medieval names and surnames, anglo-Saxon and Old English names
How popular is Edward?
- US rank in 2025
- #224
- 1,591 babies, 931 per million boys
- Best rank
- #8 in 1912
- Most babies: 21,126 in 1924
- Babies since 1880
- At least 1,303,594
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 21,118 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 19,311 per million |
| 1900s | 18,059 per million |
| 1910s | 18,834 per million |
| 1920s | 17,909 per million |
| 1930s | 13,992 per million |
| 1940s | 11,742 per million |
| 1950s | 9,315 per million |
| 1960s | 7,475 per million |
| 1970s | 5,051 per million |
| 1980s | 3,296 per million |
| 1990s | 2,319 per million |
| 2000s | 1,545 per million |
| 2010s | 1,344 per million |
| 2020s | 1,001 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #162 | #170 | #170 | #192 | #195 | #218 | #216 | #213 | #228 | #224 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Edward
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Edcommon English nickname
- Eddiecommon English nickname
- Nedused since the 14th century; may come from mine Ed heard as my Ned
- Teda short form of Edward or Theodore
Other forms of Edward
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- DuarteRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EdoardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- ÉdouardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EideardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EkewakaRich guardian (Old English, boy)
Names spelled like Edward
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- EdgardoRich spear (Old English, boy)
- EwaldLaw and power (Germanic, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- EdithRich in war (Old English, girl)
- EadbhárdRich guard (Old English, boy)
- EadburhRich fortress (Old English, girl)
- EadgifuRich gift (Old English, girl)
- ÉamonnRich protection (Old English, boy)
- EdmondRich protection (Old English, boy)
- EdmondoRich protection (Old English, boy)
- EdmundRich protection (Old English, boy)
- EdmundoRich protector (Old English, boy)
- EdredRich counsel (Old English, boy)
Middle names for Edward
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
- OsmundGod protector (Old English, boy)
- OswaldPower of a god (Old English, boy)
Edward: common questions
What does the name Edward mean?
Edward comes from Old English and means "rich guardian".
Is Edward a boy or girl name?
Edward is mainly a boy's name.
What are nicknames for Edward?
Common nicknames for Edward include Ed, Eddie, Ned and Ted.
How popular is the name Edward?
Edward ranked #224 in the US in 2025, with 1,591 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Edward?
Forms of Edward with the same meaning and origin include Duarte (Portuguese), Edoardo (Italian), Édouard (French), Eduard (German) and Eduardo (Spanish).
What middle names go with Edward?
Middle names that flow well with Edward include Cedar, Ford, Isaac, Jude and Scott. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.