Enid

Meaning & origin

Enid is a name with deep roots in Welsh literature and mythology. First recorded in the U.S. in 1885, it saw its peak popularity in 1920, when it ranked among the top 200 names. Since then, its usage has declined steadily; in 2025 it ranked 4,546 with about 1 in 53,576 girls receiving the name. The trajectory has been falling since 2022, aligning with a broader trend away from early 20th-century revivals. While its top states are not reported in the current data, the name has associations with the Welsh Mabinogion and Tennyson's poetry. Today, Enid retains a quiet, literary charm, often chosen by parents seeking a distinctive but classic name with Celtic heritage. Its historical ties to the Arthurian legend and the romantic era of the 1920s give it a nostalgic quality. The name's simple two-syllable structure and the easily pronounced 'EE-nid' sound make it accessible across English-speaking cultures. Though rare, Enid has never entirely disappeared from use, maintaining a steady if minimal presence in birth records for over a century.

The name Enid first appears in medieval Welsh literature, most notably in the Mabinogion tale 'Culhwch and Olwen' and later in the romance 'Geraint and Enid'. It may derive from the Welsh word 'enaid', meaning 'soul' or 'life', though its exact etymology is debated. The name was revived in the 19th century by Alfred Lord Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King' (1859), popularizing it in English-speaking countries.