| Mason | Edward | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Stoneworker | Wealthy guardian |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MAY-sun | ED-werd |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2011 (19,530) | 1924 (21,126) |
| In 2025 | 6,291 | 1,591 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Mason | Edward |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 47,313 | 10,370 |
| 2010s | 157,911 | 25,263 |
| 2000s | 90,502 | 30,833 |
| 1990s | 32,880 | 45,164 |
| 1980s | 5,541 | 60,832 |
| 1970s | 2,296 | 83,425 |
| 1960s | 958 | 143,984 |
| 1950s | 848 | 188,323 |
| 1940s | 867 | 174,801 |
| 1930s | 833 | 147,849 |
| 1920s | 1,212 | 197,348 |
| 1910s | 878 | 125,720 |
| 1900s | 219 | 24,516 |
| 1890s | 171 | 22,033 |
| 1880s | 154 | 23,133 |
Mason is an English occupational surname for a stoneworker, from the Old French maçon. It became one of the top boys’ names of the 2010s.
Edward is an Old English name meaning “wealthy guardian,” from ēad (“wealth, fortune”) and weard (“guard”). An Anglo-Saxon royal name, it has been carried by saints and many English kings.
Mason is more popular than Edward today: about 6,291 US babies were given the name Mason in 2025, compared with 1,591 named Edward.
Mason means Stoneworker (English origin), while Edward means Wealthy guardian (English origin).
In US records, Mason first appears in 1880 and Edward in 1880, so Mason has the longer recorded history.