Edie: Short for Edith, Eden, and More Girls Names

The name Edie fits right in with so many vintage charmers, from Top 100 Sadie to fast-rising Goldie. The strong D sound brings to mind throwback choices like Ada and Ida, too.

Like those similar sounding names, Edie can easily stand on its own.

But maybe you’d prefer a formal name. In this case, what is Edie short for?

First, let’s talk about the famous people who have answered to the name.

EDIE in the SPOTLIGHT

EDIE BOUVIER BEALE

Born in 1895, Edith Ewing Bouvier was a wealthy, privileged socialite. After she married, her husband purchased Grey Gardens, a mansion in East Hampton, New York, for their family. But the marriage didn’t last, and eventually Edie found herself with just the house left.

She and her daughter, also named Edith Bouvier Beale and known as “Little Edie” were living in Grey Gardens by the 1970s as the house fell into squalor.

A 1975 documentary titled Grey Gardens captured their plight. The movie has since inspired a Broadway musical and a 2009 film. 

If the name Bouvier sounds familiar, that’s because the elder Edie was aunt to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. 

EDIE SEDGWICK

During the 1960s, Edith “Edie” Sedgwick became one of Andy Warhol’s favorite performers. Some referred to her as his muse; others dubbed Sedgwick an “It Girl.”

EDIE BRICKELL and NEW BOHEMIANS

Singer-songwriter Edie Brickell was born just Edie. Their 1988 hit album Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars included a track titled “Little Miss S,” a reference to Edie Sedgwick.

EDIE FALCO

Actress Edith Falco rose to fame as Carmela on The Sopranos. Her long and successful career includes more television, as well as film and stage.

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY’S EDIE

Actress Keira Knighley and musician James Righton welcomed daughter Edie in 2015. 

FICTIONAL EDIES

In 1816, Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Antiquary gave us a male Edie, Edie Ochiltree. He’s a memorable figure, based on Scott’s own childhood in Scotland.

Desperate Housewives gave us Edie Britt, a resident of Wisteria Lane throughout the series.

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

FULL NAMES for EDIE

EDITH nn EDIE

The most familiar formal name, by far, is Edith. 

It comes from the Old English ead – wealth, combined with a word meaning battle. That makes Edith a cousin to names like Edward – rich guard; Edwin, rich friend; and Edgar – rich spear, as well as other Ed- names.

Saintly and regal, Edith is one of the few Anglo-Saxon names to survive the Norman conquest. The name of the the middle sister on Downton Abbey, and the middle daughter in Despciable Me, too, Edith makes a delightfully vintage pick, a sister for Hazel or Pearl. (Or, in the case of the animated movie, Margo and Agnes.)

With popular culture giving the name Edith a boost, it’s gained modestly in use over the last decade in the US. In the UK, both Edith and Edie are stylish favorites.

The spelling Eadie is occassionally sene, though it’s far more rare than Edie.

EDIE NAMES: OTHER THAN EDITH

EDANA

Irish myth gives us Étaín, 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.

EDEN

A current favorite, Eden was borrowed from the Book of Genesis. The name Eden implies a long-lost paradise. But it’s also a fit with modern nature names.

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 feels more 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 on the edge of obscurity in the US since the 1950s.

ERISED

Desire spelled backward, made famous by an enchanted mirror from the Harry Potter series.

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.

INITIALS

Nearly any name with the initials E.D. – ee-dee – could become Edie. 

Elizabeth Diane, as a first name and middle combination. Or Elizabeth Davis, from a first and last name.

CASUAL-COOL EDIE

Edie is casual-cool, a logical successor to Sadie and Millie and Daisy. Call it offbeat and graceful, traditional but unexpected.

It stands on its own nicely, but Edie also serves as a nicknam for a long list of fascinating, strong and lovely names for a daughter.

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.