Formal names for Edie range from the traditional to the obscure.
But no matter how familiar – or rare – they offer an appealing nickname, combined with a more formal first. That’s a winning combination for lots of families.
Edie is casual-cool. It’s a logical successor to Sadie and Millie and Daisy. And yet, it’s rich with backstory, too. Even maybe a little bit of an edge.
20th CENTURY EDIES
Socialite and Warhol muse Edie Sedgwick adds an awful lot of style to this short name.
You might also think of Edie Bouvier Beale – both of them! The name was shared by a mother-daughter pair, aunt and cousin to the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. They’re best known for their later years, living in the crumbling Hamptons mansion known as Grey Gardens, the subject of more than one book and movie.
Or maybe your first thought is Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. They scored a major hit with upbeat anthem “What I Am” in 1988.
Not long after, the world met The Sopranos, including matriarch Carmela, played by the talented Edie Falco.
Add it up and Edie feels offbeat and graceful, traditional but unexpected.
Actor Keira Knightley named her daughter Edie in 2015. For now, it remains beyond the current US Top 1000 – but very much on-trend.
FORMAL NAMES FOR EDIE: POPULAR PICKS
EDEN
A current favorite, borrowed from the Book of Genesis. Eden implies a long-lost paradise. But it’s also a fit with modern nature names.
EDITH
Saintly and regal, Edith might be the most obvious of formal names for Edie. It’s one of the few Anglo-Saxon names to survive the Norman conquest. The name of the the middle sister on Downton Abbey, Edith makes a delightfully vintage pick, a sister for Hazel or Pearl.
RARE FORMAL NAMES FOR EDIE
EDANA
Irish myth gives us ÉtaÃn, a goddess associated with horses and the sun. Sometimes Anglicized as Aideen, it was also Latinized as Edana – the name of a sixth century saint.
EDELWEISS
A flower name made familiar by the sweet lullaby from The Sound of Music.
EDESSA
An ancient place name and a twelfth-century Crusader state, Edessa hasn’t been used as a given name – but it sounds like it could.
EDINA
Classic Britcom Absolutely Fabulous featured best friends Patsy and Edina – Eddy for short. But Edie would work, too.
EDISON
With girls answering to Ellison and Emerson, Edison doesn’t seem so outlandish. That said, it’s presently used almost exclusively for boys.
EDNA
An ancient Hebrew name, Edna is also used as an Anglicized form of Eithne. An early twentieth century favorite, Edna is nearly extinct as a given name in the US now … but that could change, and Edie might help.
EDVIGE
An Italian form of the Germanic Hedwig, Edvige is completely unknown in the US. But Edvige called Edie is deliciously unexpected.
EDWINA
Edwin is dashing. Edwina? It feels even more aggressively antique. But Edwina is rich with nickname options – Winnie, Eddy, and, of course, Edie.
EILIDH
A Scottish take on Eleanor, Eilidh looks like it could shorten to Edie easily. Except Eilidh actually sounds more like Aylee, so maybe it’s not a fit with formal names for Edie.
ELODIE
A stylish El- name that easily shortens to Edie, too.
ELUNED
It’s the name of a Welsh saint, and a legendary figure from Arthurian stories, too. It’s sometimes Lunete/Lunette or Lynette, but Eluned has plenty of appeal, too.
EMERALD
This gemstone name would probably shorten to Emmy, but a strong D sound at the end makes Edie another option.
ENDELLION
A Cornish saint’s name, Endellion made headlines in 2010 when then-British Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed a daughter named Florence Rose Endellion. The bonus middle comes from her place of birth during a family vacation – near a Cornish village named for the saint. Other forms of the name, like Endelienta, Endelient, and the modern Cornish Endelyn, might also appeal.
ENID
Another name from Arthurian legend, Enid has a lovely meaning: soul or life. It’s teetered of the edge of obscurity in the US since the 1950s.
ERMINTRUDE
Sophie Kinsella fans might remember Ermintrude from the Shopaholic series. It’s an old Germanic name. While it shares roots with the chart-topping Emma, it’s wildly rare today. During the Middle Ages, Ermen- names were plentiful.
EURYDICE
In Greek myth, she’s the ill-fated wife of Orpheus, and a popular subject for operas and artists alike. Edie makes the elaborate and rare name wearable.
EVADNE
Another Greek name in the key of Penelope and Chloe, Evadne cold be that rare name that feels instantly familiar. The logical short form is Evie, but once again, a strong D sound makes Edie another option.
EVERILD
Borrowed from another saint, Everild dates to the seventh century.
FREDERICA
The feminine form of Frederick might logically shorten to Freddie. But if boyish nicknames aren’t your speed, Edie seems like an unexpected choice.
KENNEDY
The -edy ending isn’t quite Edie, but it’s close enough that it might work.
MEREDITH
With ‘edith’ embedded in this name, Edie seems like an obvious nickname.
Do you like any of these formal names for Edie? What would you add to the list?
First published on March 1, 2013, this post was revised and re-published on January 20, 2022.
Don’t forget the option of an E first name with a D middle or last name!
My sister’s name is Erin, and our last name starts with a D. She went by “Edie” for a while in her college days.
I know an Erin Victoria who similarly goes by “Eevy”.
Emerald’s my favourite here. I also love Elodie and Evadne!
Erised nn Edie is on our list.
Megan, LOVE that!
I have an Edie. Her birth name is Edie. I loved the name Edie from the moment I saw it. I suggested “Edelweiss” as her formal name, with Edie for short, but my husband thought that was a little too out there. (Edelweiss, the song from the Sound of Music, was the song I had on my music box as a child…is it too late to change her name on the birth cert??)
I’m an Edie Brickell fan, and it has definitely influenced my opinion on the name! I really like Eden as a formal name for Edie. Cute, sassy, and fits in with the current trends!
Edith is on my list – I like it as is. I was inspired by Lady Edith from Downton Abbey and wouldn’t be surprised if it sees a surge in popularity as I can’t be th only one who’s noticed Edith!
Evadne is another favorite. I would probably go for Eva or Evie for a nickname though.
My parents met and married in a little town called Enid. I have never thought of it as a potential name, but Edie makes it more usable. I’m loving the creative suggestions of Meredith and Elodie too.
This is slightly off topic, but I know two girls who are named Remy and Remi, respectively – short for Remington! nice -ie sound at the end!
The only one I care for is Edith or Edythe. I’m a fan of straightforward nick names.
Edith is one of my favorites, but I’m not all that fond of Edie.
For those who like Italian Edvige but just can’t commit, the French variety Edwige (pron. Ed-WEESH) may look a bit more familiar.
Edith is a favorite here, without nickname. I don’t think husband likes it though.
I have an Edie 🙂 Actually she is Eden but Eden actually grew from loving Edie which happens to rhyme with our last name and even though I call her Edie (and Eden) I couldn’t bestow it as a full name though I might have had it not rhymed with our last. My husband would never go for Edith as he ends toward more modern sounding names so Eden it was. I have seen on some other boards that people think of it as a showgirl name (and have even ready it called ‘trashy’!!) but I have received nothing but compliments in everyday life and no one has ever called her or read Eddie though perhaps if it were her full name I may have run into this. I see it as more of a nature/hippy name (though it may seem I was going a biblical link since I named my son Isaac – signing holiday cards etc. I usually sign Edie and Isaac) I also adore Enid and believe it would make a gorgeous choice… I remember it from the Sweet Valley High books though for some reason when I was pregnant with Eden it never occurred to me. If I had chosen Enid, I think I would use Eni instead of Edie for a nn but I would love to meet an Enid. I also really like Meredith and actually considered it for Isaac – little did I realize I could have had 2 kids with Edie as potential nns 🙂
I’m surprised that no one has mentioned Elodie.
My Mum had a beloved Aunt Edie. I’m pretty sure she was Edith, as that’s a name that pops up as a family middle name.
I know a toddler Eden, but I’ve not heard her be called Edie.
I also know a toddler EdieJ@ne, named after her great grandma. I think they added the Jane in there, to make it clear that it’s Edie and not Eddie. But the Mom has expressed frustration with her daughter being called Eddie at the Drs office.
Of all the choices, the only one that appeals to me is plain old Edie. But it screams nickname, and I don’t put nicknames on birth certificates. So I’d probably never use it. Moot, since the baby factory is closed, anyway. 😉
The only name that I would imagine using would be Edith, although Edie for Meredith is pretty inventive.
Edina’s a city in Minnesota and Edna is all Simpsons to me. I kind of like Eluned but it might be a little too obscure.
Long before I was pregnant with Peter, I dreamt about having a baby we named Edie. Even though I’m (probably) done having kids, Edie is still my “dream” baby name. I’d use Elida, a family name I love, for the formal version.
Years ago, I read a book with an Edana. I pronounced it (in my head) as EE-dayn-ah, although now I’m guessing it’s pronounced Aye-duh+nuh. I still like my way better. 🙂