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Edith

Girl name · 406 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Edith: 406 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 30 births in 2019.

Of Old English origin, Edith comes from *Eadgyð*, combining *ēad* (wealth, fortune) and *gyð* (war, battle)—so its core meaning is "prosperous in war." The name was popular in pre-Conquest England and survived in Scotland through Norse influence. The most famous bearer is undoubtedly Edith Cavell, the British nurse executed in 1915 for helping Allied soldiers escape German-occupied Belgium during World War I; her courage made the name a symbol of quiet heroism. Another notable is the poet Edith Sitwell, a striking figure of the early 20th-century literary scene. The place name Edinburgh shares no direct etymological link, despite the similar first syllable. A notable variant is Edie, which has seen a modern revival as a standalone name in its own right.