Boy · #469 in 2026

Edgar

Edgar is a commonly used masculine English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name Edgar . Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the Late Middle Ages; it was, however, revived in the 18th century, and was popularised by its use for a character in Sir Walter Scott's The Bride of Lammermoor (1819).

Current Rank
#469
Peak Rank
#50 (2005)
Total Babies
158K
5-Yr Trend
-17%
1880
First Year
2011
Last Year
1990
Peak Year
#4003
Peak Rank
705
Total Count
74
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Edgar

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Edgar is a commonly used masculine English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name Edgar . Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the Late Middle Ages; it was, however, revived in the 18th century, and was popularised by its use for a character in Sir Walter Scott's The Bride of Lammermoor (1819).

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Edgar

Edgar first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 283 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 2,453 Edgars were born — ranking #168 that year. As of 2026, Edgar ranks #469 for baby boys with 667 births, falling sharply (-17%). In total, more than 158K Edgars have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Notable people named Edgar

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Edgar the Peaceful (942–975), king of England
  • Edgar the Ætheling (c. 1051 – c. 1126), last member of the Anglo-Saxon royal house of England
  • Edgar of Scotland (1074–1107), king of Scotland
  • Edgar Alaffita (born 1996), Mexican footballer
  • Edgar Allan (disambiguation) , multiple people
  • Edgar Allen (disambiguation) , multiple people
  • Edgar Angara (1934–2018), Filipino lawyer
  • Edgar Bacon (disambiguation) , multiple people

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Edgar

Phonetically similar names — useful when Edgar is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Edgar

What does the name Edgar mean?
Edgar is a commonly used masculine English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name Edgar . Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the Late Middle Ages; it was, however, revived in the 18th century, and was popularised by its use for a character in Sir Walter Scott's The Bride of Lammermoor (1819).
How popular is Edgar in 2026?
In 2026, Edgar ranks #469 among boys' names in the U.S., with 667 babies given the name that year.
When was Edgar most popular?
Edgar reached its peak popularity in 2005, ranking #50 that year with 2,453 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Edgar most popular?
Edgar has historically been most popular in Delaware, Colorado, Maryland. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Edgar.
Is Edgar a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Edgar is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Edgar?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Edgar include Harvey, Clyde, Leroy. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Edgar

Edgar is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 158K births in the dataset. Edgar's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #50. Use the chart and map above to compare Edgar's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.