Edwin

Edwin meaning

Edwin is a Christian boy's name of Old English origin.

Rich or happy friend; from ead 'prosperity' and wine 'friend'

Also used to mean: rich friend, prosperous friend

Edwin is the Old English name Eadwine, joining ead, which Bosworth-Toller defines as riches, prosperity, happiness or bliss, and wine, 'a friend'. So the name means a rich, happy or blessed friend. Its most famous early bearer was St Edwin of Northumbria, the seventh-century king baptised at York, who became the first Christian king of his realm. In India it is used by Christian families in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Mangalore, sometimes spelt Edvin.

Source: Bosworth-Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898), entries 8279 (eád) and 35887 (wine) · entry eád; wine · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Bosworth-Toller, eád · Bosworth-Toller, wine (friend) · Wikipedia, Edwin of Northumbria

Famous namesakes

• St Edwin, 7th-century king of Northumbria

Popularity abroad

• #398 United States, boys 2025 (down 16 from 382 in 2024)
  US Social Security Administration
• #412 England and Wales, boys 2025
  Office for National Statistics

Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.

Spellings

Edwin · Edvin · Edwyn

Related names

Also meaning prosperity

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