| Gender | female |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Meaning | gentleness, pleasure, youthfulness |
Edna (Hebrew: עֶדְנָה) is a female given name originating from several languages. In Hebrew, it means "pleasure".[1] Various women named Edna are referenced in the Old Testament apocryphal books Jubilees (where the wives of Enoch, Methuselah, and Terah are all so named) and Tobit. The name Edna may also be an Anglicized form of the Irish and Scottish name Eithne,[2] meaning "kernel" in Gaelic.[3] This was a very popular girl's name in the United States in the early 20th century, but has since become unfashionable. It is also a very rare surname. Edna, as derived from Hebrew, is closely related etymologically to the name Eden.