Edson
Masculine · “son of Ead”
Edson is son of Edward or Eda, and the Old English ead behind them means wealth and good fortune — the most productive element in Anglo-Saxon naming.
How old is the name Edson?
Edson was already in use when US birth records began in 1880 — it is at least 145 years old. The typical Edson alive today was born around 1998, making them about 27 years old. About 3,600 people named Edson are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Edson most popular?
Edson peaked in 1887, reaching #631 nationally. Today it ranks #1728, 1,097 places below that high. See the whole 1887 chart.
Where it comes from
From ead to Edson
The story of Edson
Edson was an English surname that reached Brazil, where it became a common given name — Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, was named after Thomas Edison, whose surname is from the same root. Brazilian and Portuguese-speaking families brought it to America, where it is in current use.
Meaning
son of Ead
From a short form of an ead- name — Edward, Edwin, Edmund — plus the English patronymic -son. The ead element means 'wealth' or 'fortune' and opens more Anglo-Saxon names than any other. Both parts are documented and the reading is undisputed.
How the name formed
- ead
- Edward
- Edson
Related forms: Edson · Edison · Eddison
Pronouncing Edson
ED-sun
Two syllables, stress on the first. Portuguese says it the same way with a lighter final vowel.
Nicknames for Edson
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1880
- Most boys named
- 2022118 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #631reached in 1887
- Change vs 2022
- −20.3%94 in 2025, from 118
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Edson in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- Edson in Portuguese — same name
- Edison in English — related form
- Eddison in English — spelling variant
Strongest US states over the last decade: California, Texas, Florida.
Edsons among us
people named Edson are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 boy in 18,171 born in 2025 was named Edson
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
Fashion outlook
Edson sits in the calm middle of the cycle — neither chasing a wave nor sliding off one. Middle-of-the-cycle names age slowly and predictably.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Edson is headed
Edson should hold steady through 2030 — the curve is flat, and flat curves are the most predictable kind.
Medium confidence — fitted on official counts through 2025.
A damped-trend projection of the official birth data — a sketch of momentum, not a promise. Every name's forecast, ranked.
Edson beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Edson in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US boys given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- The ead element is among the best documented in Anglo-Saxon naming.
- The greatest footballer of the twentieth century was christened with it.
- Ed is available as a completely ordinary short form.
- Edison is the commoner English spelling and reads differently.
- It reads as a surname to English speakers.
- It is far commoner in Brazil than in America.
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Edson
Masculine · #1728 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Edsons are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 3,600 people named Edson are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Edson in 2025?
- Edson ranks #1728 among US boy names in 2025, with 94 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Edson?
- About 1 in every 18,171 US boys born in 2025 was named Edson — 94 in all.
- Will my child share the name Edson with classmates?
- Edson will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Edson
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Clinton#1728 · Jahir#1728 · Eder#1728 · Fredrick#1728 · Anson#1728 · Kain#1728 · Wilmer#1728 · Bentlee#1728
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Edson? See the current top 100.
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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