Eden

In the beginning, there was a garden that was full of life and joy. Its inhabitants would live forever... until they ate from a forbidden tree. 

Eden, the name of the garden, means "pleasure, delight." Most names that are not straight-up words lack obvious meanings, but the delightful Biblical garden gives Eden a different story. If a name has such a positive meaning and shares a prefix with vintage Edith, Eden must have been a name forever, right?

Wrong. Well, Eden appears in the British Baby Names list of Tudor names. Nameberry, too, claims Eden was used by seventeenth-century Puritans. Yet, there are no historical women with the name. Its history of use as a girls' name is silent, making it come off as more modern than traditional. 

Eden did not even appear in the naming data in 1880. It first appeared for seven girls in 1917 and entered consistent usage in 1954. It rose into the top 1000 in 1986 and continued until hitting the top 100 in 2023. Eden entered the English top 100 three years earlier. It has also been a hit in Australia for over a decade and almost three decades in New Zealand-where it remains popular. 

Eden's positive meaning, along with its distinct spelling and modern Christian vibes, contributed to its English-speaking popularity. It may be common, but Eden still doesn't feel trendy. Most modern names that enter the top 1000 take around one decade to reach popularity. Eden, in contrast, has made a 37-year journey to the top. Neoclassic Autumn took 28 years to reach the top 100 and is still holding steady. Eden, which is even more likely, could become Autumn's successor as a modern classic.

Not only is the name widely popular among girls, but Eden is rising for boys despite its feminine sound. It is even more unisex in England, where it ranks in the 200s for boys, and has more masculine usage in France. 

The name's sweet-spot style launched its widespread popularity, but there are still plenty of names like Eden for parents who find the name too common. 

SPELLINGS:

Edin, Edyn

STYLES:

Compact, Neutral, Symbolic, Unisex

SISTERS:

Aria, Nova, Willow, Ember, Sienna, Haven, Jade, Zuri

BROTHERS:

Zion, Asher, Maverick, Onyx, Eli, Jude, Noah, Bodhi

ALTERNATIVES:

Arden, Credence, Emerald, Ever, Golden, Halo, Lumi, Selah

FURTHER RESOURCES:

"Eden." Names, Behind the Name, 23 Apr. 2024, https://www.behindthename.com/name/eden. 

McKeon, Brynn. "Eden." Baby Girl Names, Nameberry, 21 Jun. 2024, https://nameberry.com/b/girl-baby-name-eden. 

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Terrifically Tudor." Name Lists, British Baby Names, 22 May 2013, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2013/05/terrifically-tudor.html. 

What do you think about Eden?