How to say it
E · dith
ˈiː.dɪθ
Feminine
Edith
Prosperous in war
What it means
From the Old English ead, 'wealth, fortune,' plus gyth, 'war' or 'strife.'
Edith joins the Old English ead, 'riches' or 'fortune,' to gyth, 'war,' so 'prosperous in war.' A 10th-century English saint and several queens carried it, and it was a top-ten name a century ago. Now firmly back in vintage favor, helped along by Downton Abbey's Lady Edith. Edie is the sweet short. Said EE-dith.
How to spell Edith
The standard spelling is Edith. Common variants include Edyth, Editha, Edythe, but Edith is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #26 in 1894, currently #499 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Edie.
- Pop culture
Lady Edith of Downton Abbey.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Edith Piaf French singer
- Edith Wharton American novelist and first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Spelling variants
- Edyth
- Editha
- Edythe
Names with the same feeling
See Edith from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Edith mean?
- From the Old English ead, 'wealth, fortune,' plus gyth, 'war' or 'strife.'
- What does Edith mean in English?
- In English, Edith means "Prosperous in war." Edith joins the Old English ead, 'riches' or 'fortune,' to gyth, 'war,' so 'prosperous in war.' A 10th-century English saint and several queens carried it, and it was a top-ten name a century ago. Now firmly back in vintage favor, helped along by Downton Abbey's Lady Edith. Edie is the sweet short. Said EE-dith.
- How do you pronounce Edith?
- Edith is pronounced ˈiː.dɪθ. Say it as E-dith, with the stress on the "e" syllable.
- How do you spell Edith?
- The standard spelling is Edith. Common spelling variants include Edyth, Editha, Edythe.
- Is Edith a boy or girl name?
- Edith is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Edith?
- Edith ranked #499 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.