Edison

• Origin: English
• Usage: Albanian, English, Brazilian-Portuguese, Latin-American Spanish
• Meaning: “son of Eda;” “son of Adam.”
• Gender: Male
• First Est. Early 19th-century
• Variation: Eddison, Edinson (Brazilian-Portuguese), Édison (Latin-American Spanish),
• Dims: Ed, Eddie, Eddy

From the transferred use of an English patronymic surname, derived from the Middle English personal name Ed(de), a diminutive form of various names beginning in Ed-, including Edwin, Edward and Edith, combined with -son, meaning “son of Ed.” The surname may also occasionally derive from a shortened form of Edithson, meaning “son of Edith,” or from Edus, a Medieval diminutive form of Edith.

Its usage as a given-name started in the early 19th century. In many early cases, it was likely transferred from a family surname, particularly a maternal surname.

Its later use was undoubtedly reinforced by the fame of American inventor Thomas Edison (1847–1931).

Edison appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 between 1891 and 1959 and peaked at #538 in 1917. It disappeared from the charts after 1959 before re-entering the U.S. Top 1000 in 2006. As of 2025, it ranks around #870. It ranks as #507 in England & Wales (2025).

The name has also come into use in Latin America and Brazil.

Sister Names: Ada(h), Alice, Augusta, Bellamy, Bess, Belva, Carolina, Clara, Cora, Edith, Eloise, Emma, Eleanor, Ellen, Florence, Frances, Geneva, Georgia, Grace, Hazel, Helena, Honora, Isadora, Isabel, Ivy, Joanna, Josephine, Juliet, Katherine, Kate, Katie, Lula, Lucy, Lurancy, Maisie, Millie, Molly, Myrtle, Naomi, Nonie, Nora, Novalee, Olive, Opal, Ora, Patience, Pearl, Polly, Prudence, Rebecca, Roberta, Ruby, Ruth, Saffery, Sadie, Sally, Savannah, Sophelia, Temperance, Temple, Theodosia, Willa, Wilhelmina, Willodean, Verity, Vickery, Viola, Zelda, Zetta, Zona

Brother Names: Amos, Atticus, August, Banks, Bertrand, Brooks, Collins, Clarence, Clark, Dallas, Dawson, Denver, Elliot(t), Erastus, Everett, Fletcher, Foster, Franklin, Godfrey, Gomer, Grover, Halifax, Holden, Hudson, Ira, Irving, Innis, Jackson, Jefferson, Judd, Knox, Lawrence, Lemual, Lincoln, Mercer, Montgomery, Milton, Nelson, Neville, Norman, Orville, Otis, Osborne, Palmer, Preston, Price, Rafferty, Redding, Remington, Robin, Stanley, Sterling, Stetson, Talbot, Terence, Truman, Uriah, Vance, Wallace, Watson, Wilder, Wilson, Yardley, Yates

Sources

• https://www.behindthename.com/name/edison
• http://www.familysearch.org
• http://www.findagrave.com