Eadward

Eadward is an archaic English given name, an older spelling of Edward found in Old English texts and medieval chronicles. In contemporary usage, the form is rarely employed outside historical or scholarly contexts.

The name derives from the Old English elements ēad meaning prosperity or wealth, and weard meaning guardian or protector. Together they convey a sense of “guardian of prosperity” or “prosperous guardian.” The spelling Eadward reflects period orthography, and later standardization settled on the form Edward in Modern English.

In Anglo-Saxon England, figures bearing the OE form Eadweard or Eadward appear in the royal and noble lineages. Eadweard the Elder, king of Wessex, ruled roughly from 899 to 924. Edward the Martyr reigned from 975 to 978. Edward the Confessor, king from 1042 to 1066, is also encountered in some sources under OE spellings as Eadweard. In most modern texts these rulers are referred to by the contemporary spelling Edward.

Today Eadward survives primarily as a scholarly reference to medieval names and onomastic studies in Old English. It is part of the historical record of how the name Edward appeared in early English documents. Related names in other languages include Edward, Édouard, Eduard, and Edvard, among others.