Edgar, of Germanic origin, means "wealthy spear". It is derived from the Old German elements "ead" meaning wealth or prosperity and "gar" which signifies spear. Historically popular among royalty, it was borne by several early rulers such as Edgar the Ætheling, who was the last male descendant of Anglo-Saxon kings in England. The name reached its peak popularity in the United States during the late 19th to mid-20th centuries but has since declined somewhat. Notable bearers include American poet T.S. Eliot and French author Victor Hugo. Edgar Allan Poe's middle name, however, is not Allan but actually Allen, often misstated due to his famous pen name. Variants of the name include Eddie, Edgar, Edouard, and Edmundo among others.
The name Edgard experienced a notable upsurge in popularity between the late 1950s and early 1980s, with the highest number of births occurring in 1965 at 17 births. However, its usage has since declined significantly, with less than 10 births per year recorded from 2013 onwards.