Eduarda is a feminine given name of Portuguese origin. It is derived from the male name "Eduardo," which means "to guard" or "to protect." The name Eduarda is therefore associated with the qualities of guardianship and protection.
The name Eduardo has its roots in Old German, where it was first used as a royal title meaning "guardian of the realm." Over time, this title evolved into a given name for both boys and girls. In Portugal, the name became particularly popular during the medieval period due to several notable individuals bearing this name, such as King Eduardo I.
In the 19th century, Eduarda began to be used more frequently among Portuguese families as an independent feminine form of Eduardo. Today, it remains a relatively uncommon but distinctive name in Portugal and other countries where Portuguese influence is strong, such as Brazil.
While there are no well-known historical figures named Eduarda, some notable individuals with the related male name Eduardo include Eduardo II of Portugal, who reigned during the late 14th century, and Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, whose given name was actually Eduardo das Neves. Despite its lack of widespread popularity outside of Portuguese-speaking countries, Eduarda remains a strong and meaningful name choice for parents looking to honor their heritage or simply appreciate its unique sound and significance.
The name Eduarda experienced a notable increase in popularity from the late 1990s to around 2006-2008, with peaks of 22 births in 2006 and consistently high numbers between 2002 and 2005. Since then, it has maintained a steady but lower level of usage, with most years seeing between 5 to 7 births.