Edwin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine given name of Old English origin meaning "rich friend," commonly used as a personal identifier
2. An English personal name derived from words signifying wealth and friendship, often assigned to males
3. A traditional male first name rooted in Anglo-Saxon language combining concepts of prosperity and companionship

Etymology: Edwin is one of the few Old English personal names that survived the Norman Conquest and was still in use centuries later, though it is built from two plain elements. Its first part, "ēad", meant "wealth" or "prosperity", and its second, "wine", meant "friend". The name therefore meant something like "wealthy friend" or "friend of fortune". The same name had a long life across the Germanic world. Its Proto-Germanic ancestor was "*Audawiniz", and close relatives appear in Old Norse as "Auðun", in modern Icelandic as "Auðunn", and in German as "Otwin". The Lombard king "Audoin" carried the name too, and his French descendant form is "Ouen", the name borne by Saint Ouen of Rouen.