What is Pelé's real first name?

Pelé’s real first name was Edson. His full birth name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, and he was born on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

His parents chose “Edson” in honour of the American inventor Thomas Edison, although they removed the “i” from the spelling. Some documents have recorded his name as “Edison,” leading to occasional confusion, but Pelé’s family and reliable biographies identify “Edson” as his first name.

Before becoming known worldwide as Pelé, he was called “Dico” by his family. The nickname Pelé emerged during his school years and is often linked to his mispronunciation of the name Bilé, a goalkeeper admired by his father. Pelé later became one of football’s most famous names, but it was a nickname rather than his given first name.