Hedy
Hedy is a girl's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Battle or contender in war, derived from the Old High German Hedwig.
Origin and history
Hedy originated as a Germanic short form of Hedwig, which combines elements meaning 'battle' and 'strife'. It gained significant cultural recognition in the mid-20th century, largely due to actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr. In the United States, it remains a rare and vintage female choice.
Popularity in the United States
2,316 babies in the United States have been named Hedy since 1880. It ranks #3661 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #2053.
States where it is most popular
- NY (52 %)
- PA (15.2 %)
- CA (10.1 %)
- IL (4.5 %)
- OH (3.8 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 38 |
| 1920-1930 | 180 |
| 1930-1940 | 211 |
| 1940-1950 | 796 |
| 1950-1960 | 454 |
| 1960-1970 | 239 |
| 1970-1980 | 99 |
| 1980-1990 | 59 |
| 1990-2000 | 37 |
| 2000-2010 | 65 |
| 2010-2019 | 90 |
| 2020-2029 | 48 |
Famous people named Hedy
- Hedy Lamarr: Actress, Inventor
- Hedy West: Singer, Songwriter
Fun facts
- Actress Hedy Lamarr co-invented a frequency-hopping spread-spectrum technology that laid the groundwork for modern Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
- Hedy originally developed as a diminutive for the classic Germanic name Hedwig.