Edwardian Name Generator

How the Edwardian Name Generator works

What the Edwardian name generator draws on

Edwardian first names come from the birth registers of the time. Girls were often given names like Dorothy, Gladys, Ethel and Ivy, which were fashionable and new, alongside older names like Edith and Florence. Boys got solid names such as Cyril, Percy, Reginald and Harold, many of which sound old to us now but were modern then. Middle names were common in every class, often taken from a parent or the royal family, which is why Edward, Albert and Alexandra appear so often.

Upstairs and downstairs

Class shaped names. The gentry used titles, double surnames and grand family names taken from estates and old lines. Servants were often called by surname alone, or a footman might be given a standard name like James by the household. The upstairs option adds Lady, Sir, the Honourable and military ranks, while downstairs gives the plain working surnames of mill towns and villages.

Names that are coming back

Many Edwardian names are popular again with parents, especially Florence, Ada, Violet, Mabel and Arthur. For the generation before, try the Victorian name generator, and for a sweep across several decades, the old-fashioned name generator.

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