UK girl's name
Edda
An Old Norse feminine name meaning "great-grandmother" or "ancestress".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Edda is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Edda popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5581, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2021 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Edda is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Edda. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Edda ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 3 girls were registered as Edda.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Edda as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5581
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
2021
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Edda mean?
The name Edda is of Old Norse origin and can be traced back to the Viking era in Scandinavia. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "oddr," which means "point" or "edge." The name was likely associated with strength, sharpness, and bravery, qualities that were highly valued in Viking culture.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Edda is found in the "Poetic Edda," a collection of Old Norse anonymous poems compiled in the 13th century. The "Prose Edda," written by the Icelandic scholar and historian Snorri Sturluson in the early 13th century, is another significant work that mentions the name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Edda. One of the earliest recorded examples is Edda Ballí (1180-1236), an Icelandic poet and the first known female skald (a poet of the Old Norse tradition). Another prominent figure was Edda Mussolini (1910-1995), the eldest daughter of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
In the field of literature, Edda Ziegler (1912-1986) was a German writer and translator known for her works on Norse mythology and Icelandic literature. Edda Göring (1938-2018), the daughter of Nazi leader Hermann Göring, also carried this name.
More recently, Edda Björgvinsdóttir (born 1976) is an Icelandic singer and songwriter who has gained international recognition for her unique blend of folk and electronic music.
While the name Edda has its roots in Old Norse culture, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly in European countries with Germanic or Scandinavian influences. The name continues to hold significance and intrigue due to its historical connections and associations with strength, wisdom, and literary traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Edda by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Edda was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5581 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Edda
- Emily 121,621
- Ella 69,101
- Ellie 63,522
- Evie 52,944
- Emma 50,755
- Eleanor 40,576
- Elizabeth 39,225
- Erin 34,816
- Eva 29,738
- Evelyn 26,911
- Elsie 23,671
- Emilia 22,167
FAQ
Edda: questions and answers
How popular is the name Edda in the UK right now?
In 2021, Edda was ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Edda most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 3 babies registered as Edda in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Edda?
An Old Norse feminine name meaning "great-grandmother" or "ancestress".
How many people are called Edda in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Edda across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.