Given name

Edda

“suffering strife during war”

Edda is a form of Hedwig. One German interpretation is “suffering strife during war.”

Meaning & origin

What it means

In German use, Edda carries the interpretation “suffering strife during war.” Edda is a form of Hedwig. One German interpretation is “suffering strife during war.”

Combines direct and name-family evidence

Where it comes from

An origin associated with this spelling is German.

How it developed

In Italian use, Edda is used as a form of Hedda. Edda is used as a form of Hedwig.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1895. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Edda through the years

Babies since 1880
735
0 boys · 735 girls
Most popular year
1930
22 babies
2025
9
#10,318 for girls
2021–25 vs 2016–20
+39%
Rising
01020301900192019401960198020002025Highest share 18955.6
Edda in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1895–2025, per million girls born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 9 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 10,318 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 38.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 22 in 1930. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,593 as a first name in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Edda’s family of names

Edda shares a linguistic root with Hedda. Edda is a form of Hedwig. Edda has a related form in Edwige.

Walk Edda’s family in the name graph

EddaEdwigeEddahEdwigEdwigaHeddaHedwig

Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Nicknames & forms 4

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Across languages 2

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

Similar names

If you love Edda, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

German · Old-fashioned

Erma

“one who is complete; universal”

24RareRising

>99% girls

German · Old-fashioned

Elma

“having God's protection”

27RareSteady

>99% girls

German · Old-fashioned

Tilda

“one who is mighty in battle”

21RareRising

>99% girls

Anglo-Saxon · Royal

Ida

“a king”

48UncommonRising

>99% girls

Old High German

Otilia

“wealth, riches”

21RareRising fast

>99% girls

German · Old-fashioned

Velma

“determined protector”

23RareRising

>99% girls

German · Literary

Zelma

“having divine protection”

20RareRising

>99% girls

German · Literary

Geraldine

“one who rules with the spear”

36RareEasing

>99% girls

Sibling ideas

Names that share Edda’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Edda

A sister for Edda