Old English names are the first names of Anglo-Saxon England, roughly 600 to 1066, and a handful are still on birth certificates today: Alfred, Edward, Edith, Edmund, Edwin, Oswald, Audrey and Hilda. Alfred was given to 682 baby boys in England and Wales in 2025, and its pet form Alfie to 1,955, according to ONS baby names data. The rest, from Æthelflæd to Wulfstan, are waiting for someone brave enough to bring them back.
This guide is part of our Scottish Names collection. Browse the full Scottish Names directory, see what happened to these names as family names in our Old English surnames guide, or compare them with their Norse neighbours in the Viking names guide.
This is for parents who want a name with real English history behind it, for anyone writing about early England, and for the curious who have seen Æthelred on a page and wondered how on earth to say it. Below you get a finder for 58 names, the 2025 baby counts for England, Wales and Scotland, a pronunciation guide to æ, þ and ð, and what each name actually means.
A wee bit of context first. Anglo-Saxon names were built from two parts, like Ead (wealth) plus weard (guardian) for Edward. After 1066 most of them disappeared fast; the Domesday record shows English names giving way to William, Robert and Hugh within 20 years. A few royal and saintly names hung on, and the Victorians revived more of them, which is why your great-grandmother might have been an Ethel or an Edith.
Two Scots Abroad · Scottish names
Old English name finder
58 names from Anglo-Saxon England. Filter by boy or girl, by century, and by whether the name is still given today. Each card shows the Old English spelling, the meaning, how to say it, a real bearer and the 2025 baby counts.
Nothing matches that. Clear a filter or try a shorter search.
Which Old English names are still used today?
Edward, Alfie, Alfred, Wilfred, Edith and Edie are the Old English names parents use most. Edward was given to 1,385 baby boys in England and Wales in 2025 and Edith to 390 girls, according to the ONS full lists for girls and boys. In Scotland, National Records of Scotland counted 167 Alfies, 30 Edwards and 22 Ediths.
| Name | Old English | England and Wales 2025 | Scotland 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfie | pet form of Ælfrǣd | 1,955 | 167 |
| Edward | Ēadweard | 1,385 | 30 |
| Alfred | Ælfrǣd | 682 | 18 |
| Wilfred | Wilfrīþ | 475 | 4 |
| Edith | Ēadgȳð | 390 | 22 |
| Edie | pet form of Ēadgȳð | 322 | 11 |
| Audrey | Æþelþrȳþ | 139 | 5 |
| Edwin | Ēadwine | 98 | 5 |
| Edmund | Ēadmund | 56 | 3 |
| Wilf | short form of Wilfrīþ | 39 | under 3 |
| Oswald | Ōsweald | 27 | 3 |
| Ethel | Æþel- names | 26 | under 3 |
| Harold | Hereweald | 23 | under 3 |
| Edgar | Ēadgār | 22 | under 3 |
| Hilda | Hild | 16 | under 3 |
| Oswin | Ōswine | 12 | under 3 |
| Godwin | Godwine | 10 | under 3 |
| Wulfric | Wulfrīc | 6 | under 3 |
| Mildred | Mildþrȳþ | 5 | under 3 |
| Chad | Ceadda | 4 | under 3 |
| Bede | Bǣda | 3 | under 3 |
Two things jump out. The pet forms win: Alfie beats Alfred nearly three to one and Edie runs Edith close. And the -thryth and -gifu names have vanished completely, while the short, two-syllable royal names (Edward, Edwin, Edmund, Edgar) never quite went away. Wulfric, with six babies, is the boldest choice anyone actually made in 2025.
How to pronounce Old English names: æ, þ and ð
Old English used a few letters modern English dropped. Once you know these, almost every name on this page reads the way it looks. The rules below come from Wikipedia’s articles on the letter æ, thorn and Old English pronunciation.
| Letter | Name | Say it like | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| æ | ash | the a in cat | Æthelred: ATH-el-rade |
| þ | thorn | th, as in thin or this | Æþelstān: ATH-el-stan |
| ð | eth | th as well; scribes used þ and ð for the same sound | Ēadgȳð (Edith): AY-ad-yith |
| ċ (c before e or i) | palatal c | ch, as in church | Ælfrīc: ALF-ritch |
| ġ (g before e or i) | palatal g | y, as in yes | Ælfgifu: ALF-yi-vu |
| sc | sh | scearp (sharp) | |
| cg | dg, as in edge | Ecgberht (Egbert): EJ-bert | |
| f between vowels | v | Ælfrǣd was said with a v, giving Middle English Alured |
Good to know: in every name here the stress lands on the first syllable. That single rule gets you through Æthelflæd, Cynethryth and Wulfstan without embarrassing yourself at a christening.
What Old English names mean
Most Anglo-Saxon names are two building blocks, and the meaning of the whole is usually just the two parts side by side, not a sentence. The Germanic names table on Wikipedia and the Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary give the meanings.
| Element | Meaning | Names on this page |
|---|---|---|
| Æþel- | noble | Æthelred, Athelstan, Ethelbert, Æthelflæd, Audrey |
| Ēad- | wealth, prosperity | Edward, Edmund, Edwin, Edgar, Edith, Eadgifu |
| Ælf- | elf | Alfred, Ælfric, Ælfgifu |
| Ōs- | god | Oswald, Oswin |
| Wulf- | wolf | Wulfstan, Wulfric, Wulfrun, Wulfnoth |
| Lēof- | dear, beloved | Leofric, Leofgifu |
| Cūþ- | renowned | Cuthbert |
| -beorht, -berht | bright | Cuthbert, Egbert, Ethelbert |
| -rǣd | counsel | Alfred, Æthelred |
| -weard | guardian | Edward, Hereward, Siward |
| -wine | friend | Edwin, Godwin, Oswin, Alwin |
| -gifu | gift | Godgifu (Godiva), Eadgifu, Ælfgifu |
| -þrȳþ | force, strength (girls only) | Audrey, Mildred, Cynethryth |
| -flǣd | purity, glory, beauty (girls only) | Æthelflæd, Eanflæd |
| -burh | fortress | Werburgh, Eadburh |
| Hild | battle | Hilda |
Old English boy names
Alfred
Old English: Ælfrǣd. Meaning: elf + counsel. Say it: AL-fred. From: Wessex, 800s to 900s. Used today: 682 babies in England and Wales in 2025, 18 in Scotland.
Alfred the Great beat the Danes at Edington in 878 and ruled the West Saxons and then the Anglo-Saxons until 899. The name is elf plus counsel. Wiktionary points out that the Anglo-Saxons said it with a v, which is why it was spelled Alured in Middle English. Pair it with a Scottish middle name and nobody will guess its age.
Edward
Old English: Ēadweard. Meaning: wealth + guardian. Say it: ED-ward. From: Wessex, 1000s. Used today: 1,385 babies in England and Wales in 2025, 30 in Scotland.
The most successful Old English name of all. Edward the Confessor, king from 1042 to 1066, was the last reigning king of the House of Wessex, and his name was one of the few English ones the Normans kept using. It is the 31st most popular boys’ name in England and Wales.
Edwin
Old English: Ēadwine. Meaning: wealth + friend. Say it: ED-win. From: Northumbria, 600s to 700s. Used today: 98 babies in England and Wales in 2025, 5 in Scotland.
King Edwin of Northumbria ruled from about 616 until he was killed in 632 or 633. You will often read that Edinburgh is named after him. Honestly, it is not that simple: Wikipedia derives Edinburgh from Din Eidyn, a Brittonic name whose meaning is unknown, later given the English burh. His Northumbrian successors did reach the rock: King Oswald besieged it in 638.
Oswald
Old English: Ōsweald. Meaning: god + power. Say it: OZ-wald. From: Northumbria, 600s to 700s. Used today: 27 babies in England and Wales in 2025, 3 in Scotland.
Oswald of Northumbria won the throne at Heavenfield and was killed by Penda of Mercia in 641 or 642, and he was later venerated as a saint. Os means a god, weald means power, so it is one of the most pagan-sounding names on the list, borne by a saint-king and an archbishop of York. Twenty-seven babies in England and Wales and three in Scotland got it in 2025.
Wilfred
Old English: Wilfrīþ. Meaning: will, desire + peace. Say it: WIL-fred. From: Northumbria, 600s to 700s. Used today: 475 babies in England and Wales in 2025, 4 in Scotland.
St Wilfrid, a Northumbrian bishop, spent years in Selsey converting the people of Sussex. The name was a big hitter in the early 1900s and is climbing again: 475 boys in 2025, plus 39 Wilfs. If you like Alfie, Wilf is its slightly scruffier, more northern cousin.
Cuthbert
Old English: Cūþbeorht. Meaning: famous + bright. Say it: CUTH-bert. From: Northumbria, 600s to 700s. Used today: fewer than 3 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
The saint of the Borders and Northumberland, monk at Melrose and bishop of Lindisfarne, who died in 687. Famous plus bright. It did not make the 2025 lists at all, which makes it one of the most underused saints’ names around. A cracking (excellent) middle name for any family with Borders roots.
Edgar
Old English: Ēadgār. Meaning: wealth + spear. Say it: ED-gar. From: Wessex, 800s to 900s. Used today: 22 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Edgar the Peaceful ruled all England from 959 to 975. Scotland has its own Edgar too: King Edgar, son of Malcolm III and St Margaret, who reigned from 1097 to 1107. Twenty-two babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Athelstan
Old English: Æþelstān. Meaning: noble + stone. Say it: ATH-el-stan. From: Wessex, 800s to 900s. Used today: fewer than 3 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
The man modern historians call the first King of England, who ruled from 924 to 939. Noble plus stone. Wiktionary records later spellings like Athelstane and Athelston. It is a big name for a small child, and that is the point.
Wulfric
Old English: Wulfrīc. Meaning: wolf + ruler. Say it: WULF-ritch. From: Mercia, 1000s. Used today: 6 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Wolf plus ruler. PASE counts 181 Domesday men called Wulfric, so it was ordinary in 1066. Six parents in England and Wales chose it in 2025, which makes it the boldest Old English name in actual use.
Harold
Old English: Hereweald. Meaning: army + power. Say it: HA-rold. From: Wessex, 1000s. Used today: 23 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Harold Godwinson was the last crowned Anglo-Saxon king, killed at Hastings on 14 October 1066. Army plus power. Norse Haraldr is the same name, so a Harold can claim either side of that battle.
Old English girl names
Edith
Old English: Ēadgȳð. Meaning: wealth + battle. Say it: EE-dith. From: Wessex, 1000s. Used today: 390 babies in England and Wales in 2025, 22 in Scotland.
Two queens carried it: Edith of Wessex, Edward the Confessor’s wife, who died in 1075, and an earlier Edith who married Otto the Great in the 900s. Wealth plus battle. Edith is 125th for girls in England and Wales, with Edie not far behind.
Audrey
Old English: Æþelþrȳþ. Meaning: noble + strength. Say it: AWD-ree. From: East Anglia, 600s to 700s. Used today: 139 babies in England and Wales in 2025, 5 in Scotland.
St Æthelthryth of Ely, an East Anglian princess who died in 679, gave us Audrey through its Anglo-Norman form. Wikipedia’s Germanic name page confirms Audrey continues the Anglo-Norman form of the Anglo-Saxon name. Noble plus strength, and 139 babies in 2025.
Hilda
Old English: Hild. Meaning: battle. Say it: HIL-dah. From: Northumbria, 600s to 700s. Used today: 16 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Hild of Whitby, born in 614, founded the abbey where the Synod of Whitby met in 664 and where Cædmon, the first named English poet, was a monk. Hild simply means battle. Sixteen babies in England and Wales had Hilda in 2025.
Mildred
Old English: Mildþrȳþ. Meaning: gentle + strength. Say it: MIL-dred. From: Kent, 600s to 700s. Used today: 5 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
St Mildrith ran the abbey at Minster-in-Thanet in Kent and died after 732. The first part is milde, gentle or gracious in Bosworth-Toller, the second þrȳþ, strength. Five babies in 2025, so a comeback is not exactly under way yet.
Ethel
Old English: Æþel- names. Meaning: noble. Say it: ETH-el. From: Wessex, 600s to 700s. Used today: 26 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Not a medieval name at all, but a Victorian invention from the Æthel- names. Wiktionary dates its first use to the 19th century and calls it popular at the turn of the 20th. Twenty-six babies in 2025: the great-granny names are coming back.
Godiva
Old English: Godgifu. Meaning: god + gift. Say it: go-DYE-vah. From: Mercia, 1000s. Used today: fewer than 3 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Godgifu, god plus gift, was the wife of Earl Leofric of Mercia and a real patron of churches. The naked ride through Coventry is a legend dating back to at least the 13th century. PASE has 20 Domesday women called Godgifu.
Æthelflæd
Old English: Æþelflǣd. Meaning: noble + beauty. Say it: ATH-el-flad. From: Mercia, 800s to 900s. Used today: fewer than 3 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Alfred the Great’s eldest child ruled as Lady of the Mercians from 911 to 918, fortifying towns against the Danes. Noble plus beauty. Nobody gave it to a baby in 2025, which seems a shame for a name with that CV.
Ebba
Old English: Æbbe. Meaning: uncertain. Say it: EB-ah. From: Northumbria, 600s to 700s. Used today: 15 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Æbbe of Coldingham, sister of King Oswald, founded a monastery on the Berwickshire coast, and St Abbs village is named after the headland that carries her name. The Ebbas in today’s England and Wales lists (15 in 2025) are mostly the Swedish name, which looks the same.
Old English names in Scotland
Old English was the language of south-east Scotland long before Scots grew out of it, so these names are part of the Scottish story too. The clearest example is the royal family: St Margaret of Scotland, an English princess of the House of Wessex, married Malcolm III and named her sons Edward, Edmund, Ethelred, Edgar, Alexander and David. Three of them became Kings of Scots, Edgar among them.
- Cuthbert started as a monk at Melrose in the Borders before Lindisfarne.
- Æbbe gave her name to St Abb’s Head and the village of St Abbs in Berwickshire.
- Edgar was King of Scots from 1097 to 1107, son of a Gaelic king and an English queen.
- Edinburgh is the famous non-example: the Edwin story is popular, but the name comes from Brittonic Din Eidyn.
If you want the Scots and Gaelic forms that sit beside these, our Scottish first names beginning with E covers Ewan, Euan and the Gaelic Eideard, the Scottish form of Edward.
How to choose an Old English name
- You want history without the explaining. Edward, Alfred, Edith, Edwin or Audrey. Everyone can spell them, and every one has a king, queen or saint behind it.
- You want something rarer but still sayable. Oswald, Wilfred, Hilda, Edgar or Godwin. All under 30 babies in Scotland, all easy in a classroom.
- You want the full Anglo-Saxon experience. Wulfric, Athelstan, Cuthbert, Æthelflæd or Frideswide. Expect to spell it every single time, and expect to enjoy telling people why.
- If the full name is too much, use the old trick. Put the bold name in the middle: Alfie Athelstan, Edie Æthelflæd. The child gets a choice later.
Watch out for: Harold and Ebba, which have Scandinavian twins, and Ethel, which is Victorian rather than Anglo-Saxon. And Alfie and Edie, the most popular of the lot, are pet forms, so check you are happy with the full Alfred or Edith on paperwork. If you want a Welsh cousin instead, Iorwerth has long been associated with Edward, and our Welsh names guide covers the Welsh side.
Quick list: all 58 Old English names
| Name | Old English | Meaning | Say it | For | Kingdom and era | England and Wales 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldhelm | Ealdhelm | old + protector | ALD-helm | Boy | Wessex, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Alfie | Ælfrǣd (pet form) | pet form of Alfred | AL-fee | Boy | Wessex, 800s to 900s | Popular today (1,955) |
| Alfred | Ælfrǣd | elf + counsel | AL-fred | Boy | Wessex, 800s to 900s | Popular today (682) |
| Alwin | Æþelwine or Ælfwine | noble or elf + friend | AL-win | Boy | Mercia, 1000s | Rare today (3) |
| Athelstan | Æþelstān | noble + stone | ATH-el-stan | Boy | Wessex, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Audrey | Æþelþrȳþ | noble + strength | AWD-ree | Girl | East Anglia, 600s to 700s | Popular today (139) |
| Bede | Bǣda | uncertain | BEED | Boy | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Rare today (3) |
| Byrhtnoth | Byrhtnōþ | bright + daring | BIRHT-noth | Boy | Essex, 1000s | Historic only |
| Chad | Ceadda | uncertain | CHAD | Boy | Mercia, 600s to 700s | Rare today (4) |
| Cuthbert | Cūþbeorht | famous + bright | CUTH-bert | Boy | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Cynethryth | Cyneþrȳþ | royal + strength | KUN-eh-thrith | Girl | Mercia, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Cædmon | Cædmon | uncertain, possibly Brittonic | KAD-mon | Boy | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Dunstan | Dūnstān | dark or hill + stone | DUN-stan | Boy | Wessex, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Eadburh | Ēadburh | wealth + fortress | AY-ad-burh | Girl | Wessex, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Eadgifu | Ēadgifu | wealth + gift | AY-ad-yi-vu | Girl | Kent, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Eadric | Ēadrīc | wealth + ruler | AY-ad-ritch | Boy | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Ealdgyth | Ealdgȳð | old + battle | AY-ald-yith | Girl | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Ealhswith | Ealhswīþ | temple + strength | AY-alh-sweeth | Girl | Mercia, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Eanflæd | Ēanflǣd | (uncertain) + beauty | AY-an-flad | Girl | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Ebba | Æbbe | uncertain | EB-ah | Girl | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Rare today (15) |
| Edgar | Ēadgār | wealth + spear | ED-gar | Boy | Wessex, 800s to 900s | Rare today (22) |
| Edie | Ēadgȳð (pet form) | pet form of Edith | EE-dee | Girl | Wessex, 1000s | Popular today (322) |
| Edith | Ēadgȳð | wealth + battle | EE-dith | Girl | Wessex, 1000s | Popular today (390) |
| Edmund | Ēadmund | wealth + protection | ED-mund | Boy | East Anglia, 800s to 900s | Popular today (56) |
| Edward | Ēadweard | wealth + guardian | ED-ward | Boy | Wessex, 1000s | Popular today (1,385) |
| Edwin | Ēadwine | wealth + friend | ED-win | Boy | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Popular today (98) |
| Egbert | Ecgberht | sword + bright | EJ-bert | Boy | Wessex, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Ethel | Æþel- names | noble | ETH-el | Girl | Wessex, 600s to 700s | Rare today (26) |
| Ethelbert | Æþelberht | noble + bright | ATH-el-bert | Boy | Kent, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Frideswide | Friþuswīþ | peace + strength | FRID-eh-swide | Girl | Mercia, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Godiva | Godgifu | god + gift | go-DYE-vah | Girl | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Godric | Godrīc | god or good + ruler | GOD-ritch | Boy | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Godwin | Godwine | god or good + friend | GOD-win | Boy | Wessex, 1000s | Rare today (10) |
| Harold | Hereweald | army + power | HA-rold | Boy | Wessex, 1000s | Rare today (23) |
| Hereswith | Hereswīþ | army + strength | HER-eh-sweeth | Girl | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Hereward | Hereweard | army + guard | HER-eh-ward | Boy | East Anglia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Hilda | Hild | battle | HIL-dah | Girl | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Rare today (16) |
| Leofgifu | Lēofgifu | dear + gift | LAY-of-yi-vu | Girl | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Leofric | Lēofrīc | dear + ruler | LAY-oh-fritch | Boy | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Mildred | Mildþrȳþ | gentle + strength | MIL-dred | Girl | Kent, 600s to 700s | Rare today (5) |
| Offa | Offa | uncertain | OFF-ah | Boy | Mercia, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Oswald | Ōsweald | god + power | OZ-wald | Boy | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Rare today (27) |
| Oswin | Ōswine | god + friend | OZ-win | Boy | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Rare today (12) |
| Penda | Penda | uncertain | PEN-dah | Boy | Mercia, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Rædwald | Rǣdwald | counsel + power | RAD-wald | Boy | East Anglia, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Siward | Sigeweard | victory + guard | SEE-ward | Boy | Northumbria, 1000s | Historic only |
| Swithun | Swīþhūn | strong + (uncertain) | SWITH-oon | Boy | Wessex, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Werburgh | Wǣrburh | true + fortress | WER-burg | Girl | Mercia, 600s to 700s | Historic only |
| Wilf | Wilfrīþ (short form) | short form of Wilfred | WILF | Boy | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Rare today (39) |
| Wilfred | Wilfrīþ | will, desire + peace | WIL-fred | Boy | Northumbria, 600s to 700s | Popular today (475) |
| Wulfnoth | Wulfnōþ | wolf + daring | WULF-noth | Boy | Wessex, 1000s | Historic only |
| Wulfric | Wulfrīc | wolf + ruler | WULF-ritch | Boy | Mercia, 1000s | Rare today (6) |
| Wulfrun | Wulfrūn | wolf + secret, rune | WULF-roon | Girl | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Wulfstan | Wulfstān | wolf + stone | WULF-stan | Boy | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Ælfgifu | Ælfgifu | elf + gift | ALF-yi-vu | Girl | Mercia, 1000s | Historic only |
| Ælfric | Ælfrīc | elf + ruler | ALF-ritch | Boy | Wessex, 1000s | Historic only |
| Æthelflæd | Æþelflǣd | noble + beauty | ATH-el-flad | Girl | Mercia, 800s to 900s | Historic only |
| Æthelred | Æþelrǣd | noble + counsel | ATH-el-rade | Boy | Wessex, 1000s | Historic only |
FAQ about Old English names
What are some Old English names?
Well-known Old English names include Alfred, Edward, Edmund, Edwin, Edgar, Oswald, Wilfred and Cuthbert for boys, and Edith, Audrey, Hilda, Mildred and Godiva (Godgifu) for girls. Rarer ones include Æthelflæd, Athelstan, Wulfric, Frideswide and Cynethryth. All were in use in England before 1066.
How do you pronounce æ in Old English names?
Æ, called ash, sounds like the a in cat, so Æthelred is ATH-el-rade and Ælfgifu is ALF-yi-vu. Þ and ð are both a th sound, c before e or i is ch, g before e or i is y, and sc is sh. The stress falls on the first syllable.
Is Alfred an Old English name?
Yes. Alfred comes from Old English Ælfrǣd, elf plus counsel, and was the name of Alfred the Great, who died in 899. The Anglo-Saxons said it with a v. In 2025, 682 baby boys in England and Wales were named Alfred and 1,955 were named Alfie.
Which Old English names are popular today?
In England and Wales in 2025 the most used were Alfie (1,955 boys), Edward (1,385), Alfred (682), Wilfred (475), Edith (390 girls) and Edie (322), according to ONS. In Scotland, NRS counted 167 Alfies, 30 Edwards and 22 Ediths.
Is Edinburgh named after King Edwin?
Probably not. The popular story links Edinburgh to King Edwin of Northumbria, but Wikipedia derives the name from Din Eidyn, a Brittonic name meaning the fort of Eidyn, with Old English burh replacing din later. Northumbrians under Oswald did besiege the fort in 638.
Final thoughts on Old English names
If you want one Old English name that works anywhere, Alfred is the answer: a king, a clear meaning and a pet form that is already a favourite. For a girl, Edith does the same job. Both have survived 1,000 years, the Normans and the 1970s, which is no small achievement.
For the surnames that grew from these names, from Godwin to Woolnough, see the Old English surnames guide linked at the top. And for the wider story of how English, Scottish and Welsh family names fit together, the British surnames guide has the four-nation picture.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics, Baby names in England and Wales, boys, 2025 (released 9 July 2026)
- Office for National Statistics, Baby names in England and Wales, girls, 2025
- National Records of Scotland, Babies’ first names 2025 (full list of names, released 26 May 2026)
- PASE, Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England and PASE Domesday (University of Oxford, King’s College London, University of Cambridge)
- Wikipedia, Germanic name: Anglo-Saxon name elements and later revivals
- Wikipedia, Old English phonology
- Wikipedia, Æ (ash)
- Wikipedia, Thorn (letter)
- Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary online
- Wikipedia, Edinburgh: etymology
- Wikipedia, Saint Margaret of Scotland: her children
- Wikipedia, St Abbs
- Wiktionary, Alfred (and entries for Edith, Ethel, Audrey, Mildred, Cuthbert, Athelstan)
