Eden: Name Meaning, Origin, & Popularity

Girl name origins & meanings

What does Eden mean and stand for as a girl's name?

Meaning:

Hebrew: Delight, pleasure
Biblical: Garden of God
Babylonian: A plain, paradise

Gender: Female, unisex

Syllables: 2

Pronunciation: The name Eden is pronounced ee-den

The name Eden has origins rooted in the Hebrew language, where it means delight or pleasure. It is most famously associated with the Biblical Garden of Eden, the paradisiacal garden where Adam and Eve lived according to the Old Testament. The name symbolizes a place of perfect happiness and eternal bliss.

Girl name variations

Boy name origins & meanings

What does Eden mean and stand for as a boy's name?

Meaning:

Hebrew: Delight, pleasure
Biblical: Garden of God
Babylonian: A plain, paradise

Gender: Male, unisex

Syllables: 2

Pronunciation: The name Eden is pronounced ee-den

The name Eden is derived from the Biblical Garden of Eden, symbolizing paradise and delight. In Hebrew, "Eden" means "pleasure" or "delight." It is a name that evokes images of the idyllic garden where Adam and Eve were said to have lived. Though more commonly used as a girl's name, Eden has gained popularity as a boy's name in recent years, reflecting a trend towards nature-inspired and unisex names.

Boy name variations

Family name origins & meanings

English: from the Middle English personal name Edun, Old English Ä’adhÅ«n, composed of the elements Ä“ad "prosperity", "wealth" + hÅ«n "bear-cub."

English: habitational name from Castle Eden or Eden Burn in County Durham, both of which derive from a British river name perhaps meaning "water", recorded by the Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2nd century ad in the form Ituna.

German: habitational name any of several places, mainly in Bavaria and Austria, so named from Middle High German Å“de "wasteland" + the dative suffix -n.

Frisian: patronymic from the personal name Ede.

American: Charles Eden (1673-1722), colonial governor of NC under the lords proprietors from 1714 onward, used the armorial bearings of the family of Eden of the county palatine of Durham in the north of England. Of the same connection was Sir Robert Eden, last royal governor of MD.

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Marcia Cross

Eden in Pop Culture

Do you know these fictional characters that share this first name?

Eden Hawthorne from The Eden Trilogy - A central character navigating a dystopian world, created by Keary Taylor.
Eden Sinclair from Doomsday - The protagonist, a tough and resourceful military officer in this 2008 sci-fi action film.
Eden McCain from Heroes - A character with the power of persuasion from the popular TV series Heroes.
Eden Brolin from Beyond - Portrays the main character's sister in this supernatural drama TV series.

Popularity of the Name Eden

According to Social Security Administration data, the name Eden has been rising in popularity over recent years. In 2023, it ranked within the top 200 names for boys, reflecting an increasing trend towards nature-inspired and unisex names. Historically, Eden is most commonly associated with the Biblical Garden of Eden, symbolizing paradise and delight, particularly for the Puritan movement in the 17th century.

Famous people named Eden include Eden Hazard, the Belgian professional footballer, and Eden Phillpotts, the British author. Other notable namesakes include actress Eden Elenor Taylor, actress Eden Rebecca She, actress Eden Sonja Jane Riegel, and actress Eden Erica Espinosa. Fictional characters with the name Eden appear in various media, such as the novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck and the TV series The 100.