Edward is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

male name. It is derived from the

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons, in some contexts simply called Saxons or the English, were a Cultural identity, cultural group who spoke Old English and inhabited much of what is now England and south-eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. They traced t ...

name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”.

History

The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Saxon England, but the rule of the

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...

and

Plantagenet The House of Plantagenet ( /plænˈtædʒənət/ ''plan-TAJ-ə-nət'') was a royal house which originated from the French county of Anjou. The name Plantagenet is used by modern historians to identify four distinct royal houses: the Angev ...

dynasties had effectively ended its use amongst the upper classes. The popularity of the name was revived when Henry III named his firstborn son, the future

Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 125 ...

, as part of his efforts to promote a cult around

Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was King of England from 1042 until his death in 1066. He was the last reigning monarch of the House of Wessex. Edward was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy. He succeede ...

, for whom Henry had a deep admiration.

Variant forms

The name has been adopted in the

Iberian peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

since the 15th century, due to

Edward, King of Portugal Edward ( ; 31 October 1391 – 9 September 1438), also called Edward the Philosopher King (''Duarte o Rei-Filósofo'') or the Eloquent (''o Eloquente''), was the King of Portugal from 1433 until his death. He was born in Viseu, the son of John I o ...

, whose mother was English. The Spanish/Portuguese forms of the name are

Eduardo Eduardo is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the male name Edward. Another version is Duarte. It may refer to: Association football * Dudu (footballer, born 1992) (Eduardo Pereira Rodrigues), Brazilian footballer * Eduardo (footballer, born 1 ...

and Duarte. Other variant forms include French

Édouard Édouard is both a French given name and a surname, equivalent to Edward in English. Notable people with the name include: * Édouard Balladur (born 1929), French politician * Édouard Boubat (1923–1999), French photographer * Édouard Colonne ...

, Italian

Edoardo Edoardo is the Italy, Italian form of the England, English male given name Edward. Notable people named Edoardo include: * Edoardo Agnelli (industrialist) (1892–1935), Italian industrialist * Edoardo Alfieri (1913–1998), Italian sculptor * Edoa ...

and

Odoardo Odoardo is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Odoardo Barri (1844–1920), the pseudonym of Edward Slater *Odoardo Beccari (1843–1920), Italian naturalist, discovered the titan arum in Sumatra in 1878 *Odoardo Borrani (1833–19 ...

, German, Dutch, Czech and Romanian

Eduard Eduard Model Accessories is a Czech manufacturer of plastic models and finescale model accessories. History Formed in 1989 in the city of Most, Eduard began in a rented cellar as a manufacturer of photoetched brass model components. Follo ...

and Scandinavian

Edvard Edvard is a form of Edward and may refer to: * Edvard Askeland (born 1954), Norwegian jazz musician * Edvard Befring (born 1936), Norwegian educationalist * Edvard Beneš (1884–1948), Czech politician * Edvard Christian Danielsen (1888–1964 ...

. Short forms include Ed, Eddy, Eddie, Ted, Teddy and Ned.

People called Edward

Medieval

Edward the Elder Edward the Elder (870s?17 July 924) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 899 until his death in 924. He was the elder son of Alfred the Great and his wife Ealhswith. When Edward succeeded to the throne, he had to defeat a challenge from his cousi ...

(c. 874–924), the son of Alfred the Great *

Edward the Martyr Edward the Martyr ( – 18 March 978) was King of the English from 8 July 975 until he was killed in 978. He was the eldest son of King Edgar (r. 959–975). On Edgar's death, the succession to the throne was contested between Edward's sup ...

(c. 962–978), English king and Christian martyr *

(c. 1003–1066), English King; patron saint of England until 1348 *

Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...

(1239–1307), called Longshanks; conqueror of Wales *

Edward Balliol Edward Balliol or Edward de Balliol (; – January 1364) was a claimant to the Scottish throne during the Second War of Scottish Independence. With English help, he ruled parts of the kingdom from 1332 to 1356. Early life Edward was the el ...

(c. 1283–1367), pretender to the Scottish throne during the reign of David II *

Edward II of England Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also known as Edward of Caernarfon or Caernarvon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir to the throne follo ...

(1284–1327), deposed in January 1327, probably murdered *

Edward III of England Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after t ...

(1312–1377), English king *

Edward, the Black Prince Edward of Woodstock (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), known as the Black Prince, was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Edward III of England. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II of England, Richard II, succession to the Br ...

(1330–1376), eldest son of King Edward III *

Edward, Duke of Guelders Edward (12 March 1336 – 24 August 1371) was the duke of Guelders and count of Zutphen from 1361 until 1371. Upon his brother Reginald becoming Duke of Guelders, Edward led a civil war culminating in the battle at Tiel, capturing his brother in 13 ...

(1336–1371) *

Edward IV of England Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...

(1442–1483), older brother of Richard III, father of Edward V *

Edward V of England Edward V (2 November 1470 – ) was King of England from 9 April to 25 June 1483. He succeeded his father, Edward IV, upon the latter's death. Edward V was never crowned, and his brief reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle and Lord ...

(1470–c. 1483), one of the princes in the Tower

Modern

Royalty and nobility

Edward VI of England Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. The only surviving son of Henry VIII by his thi ...

(1537–1553), the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour *

Edward, Count Palatine of Simmern Edward, Prince Palatine of the Rhine (''Eduard, Prinz von der Pfalz'') (5 October 1625 – 10 March 1663), was the sixth son of Frederick V, Elector Palatine (of the House of Wittelsbach), the "Winter King" of Bohemia, by his consort, the Eng ...

(1625–1663), Count Palatine *

Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany (Edward Augustus;In ''The London Gazette'', the Prince is called simply 'Prince Edward'16 November 1756 Lord Edward FitzGerald Lord Edward FitzGerald (15 October 1763 – 4 June 1798) was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary proponent of Irish independence from Britain. He abandoned his prospects as a distinguished veteran of British service in the American War of Ind ...

(1763–1798), Irish aristocrat and revolutionary *

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (Edward Augustus; 2 November 1767 – 23 January 1820) was the fourth son and fifth child of King George III and Queen Charlotte. His only child, Queen Victoria, Victoria, became Queen of the United Ki ...

(1767–1820), the son of George III, father of Queen Victoria *

Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar Prince William Augustus Edward of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, , PC(Ire) (11 October 1823 – 16 November 1902) was a British military officer of German descent. After a career in the Grenadier Guards, he became Major General commanding the Brigade o ...

(1823–1902), son of Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach *

Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar (born Lady Augusta Katherine Lennox; later Gordon-Lennox; 14 January 1827 – 3 April 1904) was a British aristocrat whose marriage to Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar made her a relative of the British royal family. ...

(1827–1904), wife of Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar *

Edward VII of the United Kingdom Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

(1841–1910), the son of Queen Victoria * Lord Edward Cecil (1867–1918), son of the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury *

Edward VIII of the United Kingdom Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire, and Emperor of India, from 20 January ...

(1894–1972), the son of George V, abdicated *

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick; born 9 October 1935) is a member of the British royal family. The elder son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, he is a grandson of George ...

(born 1935), grandson of George V *

Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born 10 March 1964) is a member of the British royal family. He is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the youngest sibling of King ...

(born 1964), the son of Queen Elizabeth II *

Lady Edward Manners Gabrielle Elizabeth Frances Ross, known upon her marriage as Lady Edward Manners, (born 1975) is a British businesswoman, fashion designer, and aristocrat. She is the second wife of Lord Edward Manners, a younger son of Charles Manners, 10th Duke ...

(born 1975), wife of Lord Edward Manners and daughter-in-law of the 10th Duke of Rutland * Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick (born 1988), the grandson of The Duke of Kent

Politicians

Edward D. Baker Edward Dickinson Baker (February 24, 1811October 21, 1861) was an American politician, lawyer, and US army officer. In his political career, Baker served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois and later as a U.S. Senator from Oregon. ...

(1811–1861), American politician, lawyer, and military leader, close friend of Abraham Lincoln * Edward Butcher, American politician * W. Edward Crockett, American politician from Maine * Edward Dembowski (1822–1846), Polish leftist, philosopher and columnist * Edward Gierek (1913–2001), First Secretary of Polish United Workers Party from 1970 to 1980 * Edward Heath (1916–2005), British Conservative politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 * Edward Jayetileke, Chief Justice of Sri Lanka from 1950 to 1952 * Edward Stanley Kellogg (1870–1948), 16th Governor of American Samoa, former United States senator * Ted Kennedy, Edward "Ted" M. Kennedy (1932–2009), American politician, lawyer, and senator, Kennedy family member * Edward John Lampron (1909–1983), justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court * Edward M. Kennedy Jr. (born 1961), American politician and lawyer, son of Ted Kennedy * Ed Miliband (born 1969), British politician, former leader of the Labour Party * Edward Joy Morris (1815-1881), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania * Ed Murray (Washington politician), Ed Murray (born 1955), Democratic politician and former Mayor of Seattle * Edward Nothnagle (1866–1938), Pennsylvania State Representative * E. A. Nugawela, Edward Alexander Nugawela (1898–1972), Sri Lankan Sinhala politician and army major * Edward Polewarczyk, American politician * Ed Ra, Edward "Ed" Ra, American politician * Edward L. Romero, entrepreneur and American diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra between 1998 and 2001 * Edward Stettinius Jr. (1900–1949), United States Secretary of State * Edward L. Stokes (1880–1964), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania * Edward Maria Wingfield (1550–1631), English colonist and soldier * Edward Youde (1924–1986), 26th Governor of Hong Kong

Artists and intellectuals

* Edward Asare (born 1993), Ghanaian blogger, influencer, and digital marketer * Edward Baranoski * Edward Barker (cartoonist), Edward Barker (1950–1997), English cartoonist who signed his drawings simply as Edward * Edward Blishen (1920–1996), English author * Ed Byrne (neuroscientist) (born 1952), British neuroscientist and university administrator * Edward Duyker (born 1955), Australian historian * Edward Elgar (1857–1934), English composer * Ed Gamble, Edward Gamble (born 1986), English comedian * Edward Gibbons, English choirmaster and composer * Edward Gorey (1925–2000), American illustrator * Edd Gould, Edward Gould (1988–2012), English animator and creator of Eddsworld * Edvard Grieg (1842-1907), Norwegian classical music composer * Edward Grimes, one of the two members of Irish pop duo Jedward * Edward Grochowicz (1939–2014), Polish photographer * Edward Thomas Hardy, English actor, better known as Tom Hardy * Edward W. Hardy (born 1992), American composer, musician, and producer * Edward Hopper (1882–1967), American realist painter * Edward Jayakody (born 1952), Sri Lankan Sinhala musician and composer * Edward Killy, American filmmaker * Edward Daniel Leahy, Irish painter * Edward Linden (1935–2023), known as Eddie Linden, Scottish poet and magazine editor * Edward MacDowell (1860–1908), American composer and pianist * Edward Maya, Romanian singer, record producer and DJ * Ed McClanahan, Edward McClanahan (1932-2021), American professor * E. Coppée Mitchell, Edward Coppée Mitchell (1836-1886), American lawyer and educator * Edvard Munch (1863-1944), Norwegian painter * Edward Norton (born 1969), American actor * Edward Platt (1916–1974), American actor * Eddie Redmayne, Edward John David "Eddie" Redmayne (born 1982), English actor * Edward Ayearst Reeves (1862–1945), British geographer * Edward G. Robinson, (1893–1973), Romanian-American actor * Edward Said (1935–2003), Palestinian-American academic * Sexmane, Edward Sene (born 2000), Finnish artist * Ed Sheeran, English singer-songwriter and musician * Ed Speleers, English actor * Edward van de Vendel, Dutch author of children's literature * Eddie Van Halen, Edward "Eddie" Van Halen (1955–2020), Dutch-American musician * Eddie Vedder, American singer, musician, songwriter

Sports

* Edward Bozek (1950–2022), American Olympic épée fencer * Edward Fatu (1973–2009), American professional wrestler better known as Umaga (wrestler), Umaga, member of Anoaʻi family * Ed Gainey (Canadian football), American player of Canadian football * Eddie Guerrero (1967–2005), American professional wrestler * Ed Hochuli (born 1950), NFL official * Ed Hodgkiss (born 1970), American football coach * Edward Lawrence Levy, English world champion weightlifter * Edward Meron (born 1938), Arab-Israeli Olympic weightlifter * Ed Mieszkowski (1925–2004), American football player * Ed Orgeron (born 1961), American football coach * Edward Pratt, British long-distance unicyclist * Edward J. Trembly (1860–1937), American baseball player * Edward Weitz (born 1946), Israeli Olympic weightlifter * Ed Woods (born 2002), American football player

Other people

* Ed White (astronaut), Edward H. White II (1930–1967) American astronaut * Edward Allaway (born 1939), American mass murderer who perpetrated the 1976 California State University, Fullerton, massacre * Rohan Amerasekera, Edward Rohan Amerasekera (1916–1974), first indigenous Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force * Edward Harold Bell (1939–2019), American sex offender and murderer * Edward and Elaine Brown, Edward Brown (born 1942), American involved in a tax dispute with the U.S. government * Edward Douglas (bishop) (1901–1967), Scottish Roman Catholic * Edward Edwards (disambiguation), several people * Edward F. Fritsch (born 1950), American scientist * Ed Gein, Edward "Ed" Gein (1906–1984), American murderer and suspected serial killer * Edward Lagrone (1957–2004), American serial killer and rapist * Edward Kmiec (1936–2020), American Catholic bishop * Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), second son of Abraham Lincoln * Edward Mosberg (1926–2022), Polish-American Holocaust survivor, educator, and philanthropist * Edward McSweegan, American microbiologist * Edward R. Murrow, Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965), American broadcast journalist * Edward Playfair, British businessman * Edward Popek (1919-2001), American flying ace * Edward Porta (born 1954), Argentine former textile trader * Edward Shanbrom (1924-2012), American medical researcher and hematologist * Edward Snowden (born 1983), American who disclosed National Security Agency secrets * Ed Smith (disambiguation), Edward Smith (disambiguation), several people

People surnamed Edward

* John Edward, professional name of John Edward McGee, Jr. (born 1969), American self-proclaimed psychic * Olivia Edward (born 2007), American actress * Trevelyan Edward (1938–1995), Sri Lankan cricketer

Fictional characters

* ''Ed, Edd n Eddy'', television show, as well as main characters thereof * List of characters in Camp Lazlo#Edward, Edward, an anthropomorphic platypus from ''Camp Lazlo'' * List of Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn characters#Dawn Brigade, Edward, in ''Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn'' * List of Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter characters#Other humans, Edward AKA: DEATH, a main character and assassin from the ''Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter'' series * Winnie the Pooh#First publication, Edward Bear, mock "formal" name for a teddy bear—another name for Winnie-the-Pooh * Edward the Blue Engine, a character from ''The Railway Series'' and ''Thomas & Friends'' * Eddie Brock, a character from Marvel Comics, Marvel; the best known incarnation of Venom (character), Venom * Edward Bunnigus, in the webcomic Schlock Mercenary#Main characters, ''Schlock Mercenary'' * Edward Cullen, the vampire love-interest in the fantasy/romance novels of Stephenie Meyer's ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight Series'' * Edward Elric, the protagonist in the anime/manga series, ''Fullmetal Alchemist'' * Edward Ferrars, in ''Sense and Sensibility'' by Jane Austen * Edward Gardner, in the 1997 French-American fantasy drama movie ''FairyTale: A True Story#Cast, FairyTale: A True Story'' * Edward "Ted" Hasting, from British television series ''Line of Duty'' * Edward Elizabeth Hitler, a character from British television series ''Bottom'' * Edward Hyde (fictional character), Edward Hyde, the title character's evil alter ego in ''Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' by Robert Louis Stevenson * Edward Kenway, Edward James Kenway, a character from the ''Assassin's Creed'' video game franchise, appearing as the protagonist of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' * Edward Lewis, a wealthy corporate raider and the male protagonist in ''Pretty Woman'' * Edward Mars, the shipwrecked marshal in American television series ''Lost (2004 TV series), Lost'' * Edward Gerald Marshall, the forgotten U.S. President in the British comic book series ''Nemesis: Reloaded'' * List of Stranger Things characters#Eddie Munson, Edward "Eddie" Munson, from the American television series ''Stranger Things'' * Whitebeard (Edward Newgate), Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate, the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates in the ''One Piece'' manga series * Edward Nigma, aka The Riddler, a supervillain from DC Comics, DC * Edward Richtofen, a sociopathic German scientist from ''Call of Duty: World at War''; appears in the Nazi Zombies mode as well as in ''Call of Duty: Black Ops'', ''Call of Duty: Black Ops II'', ''Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call Of Duty: Black Ops III'', ''Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Call Of Duty: Black Ops IIII'', and the Dark Horse Comics, Dark Horse comic series ''Call Of Duty: Zombies'' * Edward Fairfax Rochester, the love interest of Jane in ''Jane Eyre'' * ''Edward Scissorhands'', title character of the eponymous film * Edward "Stubbs" Stubblefield, the fictional undead from the ''Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse'' video game * Edward Tanaka, a character from Sonic X * Blackbeard in popular culture, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, fictionalized versions of the Blackbeard, historical figure of the same name from various media * Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV, from the anime ''Cowboy Bebop'' * Edward Chris von Muir, "spoony bard" from ''Final Fantasy IV'' * Edward "Ed" Lillywhite Norton, Ed Norton, a character played by Art Carney in American sitcom ''The Honeymooners'' * Mister Ed, the talking horse, from the Mister Ed, television series of the same name * List of Corner Shop Show characters#Recurring characters, Edward the Butler, played by Lachlan Walker in the web-series ''Corner Shop Show'' * Edward Trunk, an elephant from the ''Rupert Bear'' franchise

References

{{given name, cat=Old English masculine given names English-language masculine given names English masculine given names Masculine given names Lists of people by given name