Fun Facts About the Name Emma
- Back among the favorites: Emma returned to the U.S. top 100 in 1883 and stayed there for 33 consecutive years, through 2025.
- More than 778 thousand babies named Emma: U.S. records list 778,032 babies given the name Emma from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,732 boys received the name Emma - about 1 boy for every 448 girls.
What Does the Name Emma Mean?
Emma comes from Germanic naming and is generally explained as meaning "whole" or "universal." It began as a short form of longer Germanic compound names built on the element ermen (from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz) - names such as Ermengard, Irminhild, and Ermintrude (also found as Irmgard). In those compounds the first element carried a sense of "whole, vast, all-encompassing," and the shorter form Emma was used on its own.
Emma is sometimes confused with, or listed as a form of, Amelia or Emily, which come from a different Germanic root, amal-, meaning "work" or "striving." That is why older references occasionally give Emma the meaning "industrious." The two names sound similar but rest on separate Germanic elements, and the "work" meaning properly belongs to the Amal- names rather than to Emma.
Emma Name History & Origins
The name is attested in continental Europe in the early medieval period. Emma of Altdorf (died around 876) was queen of East Francia as the wife of Louis the German, and in the German-speaking lands the related form Hemma was used; Saint Hemma of Gurk, who died in 1045, is one well-known religious bearer of it.
Emma of Normandy (about 985 - 1052) married King Æthelred the Unready of England and, after his death, Cnut the Great. She was the mother of Edward the Confessor, and her arrival in England is often linked to the name's wider use there; it appears in English records in the centuries that followed, and it was well established by the later Middle Ages.
The name has a strong literary record without depending on it for its existence. Jane Austen's novel Emma was published in 1815, and Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary (1856) gave the name to another famous fictional character. Both works drew on a name already in common use rather than coining it.
How Popular is the Name Emma?
Emma ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1880 through 1941, then returned in 1993 and remained through 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3 | 12,754 | 0.7935% |
| 2024 | #2 | 13,485 | 0.8359% |
| 2023 | #2 | 13,579 | 0.8473% |
| 2022 | #2 | 14,498 | 0.8847% |
| 2021 | #2 | 15,543 | 0.9479% |
| 2020 | #2 | 15,714 | 0.9727% |
| 2019 | #2 | 17,221 | 1.0265% |
| 2018 | #1 | 18,818 | 1.1067% |
| 2017 | #1 | 19,870 | 1.1513% |
| 2016 | #1 | 19,548 | 1.1035% |
| 2015 | #1 | 20,485 | 1.1478% |
| 2014 | #1 | 20,962 | 1.1737% |
| 2013 | #2 | 20,966 | 1.1950% |
| 2012 | #2 | 20,972 | 1.1911% |
| 2011 | #3 | 18,822 | 1.0702% |
| 2010 | #3 | 17,364 | 0.9770% |
| 2009 | #2 | 17,910 | 0.9750% |
| 2008 | #1 | 18,826 | 0.9957% |
| 2007 | #3 | 18,388 | 0.9565% |
| 2006 | #2 | 19,128 | 1.0062% |
| 2005 | #2 | 20,359 | 1.1019% |
| 2004 | #2 | 21,620 | 1.1775% |
| 2003 | #2 | 22,719 | 1.2435% |
| 2002 | #4 | 16,557 | 0.9215% |
| 2001 | #13 | 13,326 | 0.7401% |
| 2000 | #17 | 12,560 | 0.6916% |
| 1999 | #17 | 11,750 | 0.6624% |
| 1998 | #22 | 10,449 | 0.5914% |
| 1997 | #36 | 7,749 | 0.4452% |
| 1996 | #53 | 6,150 | 0.3508% |
| 1995 | #67 | 5,051 | 0.2872% |
| 1994 | #74 | 4,765 | 0.2668% |
| 1993 | #80 | 4,108 | 0.2271% |
| 1992 | #104 | 3,213 | 0.1742% |
| 1991 | #123 | 2,595 | 0.1384% |
| 1990 | #130 | 2,420 | 0.1275% |
| 1989 | #149 | 1,938 | 0.1051% |
| 1988 | #160 | 1,795 | 0.1008% |
| 1987 | #175 | 1,589 | 0.0914% |
| 1986 | #209 | 1,259 | 0.0734% |
| 1985 | #263 | 947 | 0.0550% |
| 1984 | #341 | 678 | 0.0403% |
| 1983 | #397 | 553 | 0.0331% |
| 1982 | #409 | 562 | 0.0332% |
| 1981 | #413 | 534 | 0.0320% |
| 1980 | #416 | 531 | 0.0320% |
| 1979 | #429 | 487 | 0.0303% |
| 1978 | #448 | 443 | 0.0289% |
| 1977 | #423 | 479 | 0.0312% |
| 1976 | #463 | 415 | 0.0283% |
| 1975 | #422 | 477 | 0.0327% |
| 1974 | #408 | 491 | 0.0335% |
| 1973 | #447 | 419 | 0.0287% |
| 1972 | #428 | 453 | 0.0298% |
| 1971 | #442 | 474 | 0.0285% |
| 1970 | #422 | 529 | 0.0303% |
| 1969 | #426 | 516 | 0.0306% |
| 1968 | #427 | 493 | 0.0301% |
| 1967 | #385 | 564 | 0.0342% |
| 1966 | #364 | 619 | 0.0366% |
| 1965 | #359 | 640 | 0.0363% |
| 1964 | #343 | 769 | 0.0406% |
| 1963 | #352 | 724 | 0.0376% |
| 1962 | #332 | 798 | 0.0406% |
| 1961 | #307 | 890 | 0.0441% |
| 1960 | #296 | 978 | 0.0484% |
| 1959 | #270 | 1,056 | 0.0522% |
| 1958 | #266 | 1,084 | 0.0539% |
| 1957 | #243 | 1,217 | 0.0595% |
| 1956 | #226 | 1,340 | 0.0667% |
| 1955 | #211 | 1,461 | 0.0747% |
| 1954 | #202 | 1,530 | 0.0788% |
| 1953 | #195 | 1,590 | 0.0845% |
| 1952 | #180 | 1,709 | 0.0922% |
| 1951 | #174 | 1,731 | 0.0961% |
| 1950 | #154 | 1,896 | 0.1107% |
| 1949 | #147 | 1,998 | 0.1168% |
| 1948 | #138 | 2,098 | 0.1236% |
| 1947 | #141 | 2,142 | 0.1208% |
| 1946 | #131 | 2,071 | 0.1318% |
| 1945 | #123 | 2,052 | 0.1570% |
| 1944 | #118 | 2,246 | 0.1692% |
| 1943 | #113 | 2,423 | 0.1737% |
| 1942 | #108 | 2,605 | 0.1929% |
| 1941 | #99 | 2,546 | 0.2107% |
| 1940 | #94 | 2,606 | 0.2279% |
| 1939 | #89 | 2,685 | 0.2448% |
| 1938 | #96 | 2,670 | 0.2420% |
| 1937 | #89 | 2,750 | 0.2584% |
| 1936 | #85 | 2,831 | 0.2721% |
| 1935 | #89 | 2,802 | 0.2672% |
| 1934 | #85 | 2,940 | 0.2815% |
| 1933 | #75 | 3,152 | 0.3127% |
| 1932 | #76 | 3,329 | 0.3120% |
| 1931 | #76 | 3,308 | 0.3107% |
| 1930 | #73 | 3,555 | 0.3157% |
| 1929 | #69 | 3,803 | 0.3406% |
| 1928 | #67 | 4,017 | 0.3483% |
| 1927 | #64 | 4,327 | 0.3629% |
| 1926 | #59 | 4,480 | 0.3779% |
| 1925 | #57 | 4,714 | 0.3872% |
| 1924 | #57 | 4,897 | 0.3921% |
| 1923 | #53 | 4,977 | 0.4126% |
| 1922 | #50 | 5,013 | 0.4174% |
| 1921 | #52 | 5,072 | 0.4113% |
| 1920 | #46 | 5,238 | 0.4371% |
| 1919 | #45 | 5,087 | 0.4501% |
| 1918 | #46 | 5,324 | 0.4599% |
| 1917 | #46 | 5,121 | 0.4736% |
| 1916 | #41 | 5,217 | 0.4996% |
| 1915 | #40 | 5,044 | 0.5127% |
| 1914 | #39 | 3,972 | 0.5215% |
| 1913 | #38 | 3,474 | 0.5562% |
| 1912 | #35 | 3,357 | 0.6015% |
| 1911 | #35 | 2,616 | 0.6254% |
| 1910 | #34 | 2,607 | 0.6575% |
| 1909 | #34 | 2,338 | 0.6733% |
| 1908 | #30 | 2,357 | 0.7050% |
| 1907 | #27 | 2,356 | 0.7396% |
| 1906 | #28 | 2,224 | 0.7531% |
| 1905 | #26 | 2,298 | 0.7880% |
| 1904 | #22 | 2,312 | 0.8396% |
| 1903 | #23 | 2,308 | 0.8810% |
| 1902 | #18 | 2,514 | 0.9520% |
| 1901 | #17 | 2,374 | 0.9919% |
| 1900 | #13 | 3,095 | 1.0324% |
| 1899 | #13 | 2,445 | 1.0493% |
| 1898 | #13 | 2,788 | 1.0774% |
| 1897 | #10 | 2,698 | 1.1520% |
| 1896 | #10 | 2,872 | 1.2071% |
| 1895 | #10 | 2,952 | 1.2636% |
| 1894 | #9 | 2,937 | 1.3175% |
| 1893 | #9 | 2,968 | 1.3940% |
| 1892 | #7 | 3,128 | 1.4731% |
| 1891 | #5 | 2,884 | 1.5549% |
| 1890 | #5 | 2,980 | 1.5653% |
| 1889 | #5 | 2,884 | 1.6169% |
| 1888 | #4 | 3,087 | 1.7282% |
| 1887 | #4 | 2,647 | 1.8132% |
| 1886 | #3 | 2,764 | 1.9124% |
| 1885 | #3 | 2,728 | 2.0503% |
| 1884 | #3 | 2,587 | 2.0051% |
| 1883 | #3 | 2,367 | 2.1074% |
| 1882 | #3 | 2,303 | 2.1354% |
| 1881 | #3 | 2,034 | 2.2120% |
| 1880 | #3 | 2,003 | 2.2012% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,222 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #5,710 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #5,517 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2022 | #5,945 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #6,114 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2020 | #4,906 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2019 | #7,304 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #8,357 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #6,129 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2016 | #5,189 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #7,652 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #6,757 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #5,033 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #4,747 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2011 | #3,325 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2010 | #5,322 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2009 | #4,803 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2008 | #5,855 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #4,539 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 2006 | #4,267 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2005 | #2,915 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 2004 | #1,396 | 102 | 0.0051% |
| 2003 | #2,690 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2002 | #4,979 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #5,212 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #4,862 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #4,207 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1998 | #5,582 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #6,247 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #8,262 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #9,282 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #9,253 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #6,400 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #5,511 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #3,243 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #4,255 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #4,676 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #7,053 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #5,137 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #5,087 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #6,657 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #6,349 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #4,684 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #5,149 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #4,313 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #4,233 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1962 | #3,130 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1959 | #4,171 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #4,159 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1956 | #3,302 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #4,027 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1954 | #3,248 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #2,588 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1950 | #3,842 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #2,670 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1948 | #3,421 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #2,411 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1946 | #2,451 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1945 | #3,105 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,019 | 13 | 0.0010% |
| 1943 | #3,692 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #1,756 | 17 | 0.0012% |
| 1941 | #1,936 | 14 | 0.0011% |
| 1940 | #1,445 | 22 | 0.0019% |
| 1939 | #1,741 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1938 | #1,632 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1937 | #1,649 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1936 | #1,828 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1935 | #1,556 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1934 | #1,298 | 27 | 0.0026% |
| 1933 | #1,237 | 29 | 0.0029% |
| 1932 | #1,670 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1931 | #1,435 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1930 | #1,575 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1929 | #1,537 | 23 | 0.0021% |
| 1928 | #1,725 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1927 | #1,530 | 25 | 0.0022% |
| 1926 | #1,579 | 23 | 0.0021% |
| 1925 | #1,829 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1924 | #1,641 | 23 | 0.0020% |
| 1923 | #1,711 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1922 | #2,071 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1921 | #2,531 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1920 | #2,829 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1919 | #2,410 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1918 | #1,777 | 19 | 0.0019% |
| 1917 | #2,018 | 15 | 0.0016% |
| 1916 | #1,793 | 17 | 0.0019% |
| 1915 | #1,383 | 24 | 0.0028% |
| 1914 | #2,011 | 11 | 0.0017% |
| 1913 | #1,716 | 11 | 0.0021% |
| 1912 | #1,656 | 10 | 0.0023% |
| 1911 | #1,314 | 8 | 0.0035% |
| 1910 | #738 | 17 | 0.0088% |
| 1909 | #1,521 | 5 | 0.0030% |
| 1907 | #832 | 11 | 0.0075% |
| 1906 | #955 | 8 | 0.0060% |
| 1905 | #1,137 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1904 | #699 | 12 | 0.0094% |
| 1903 | #748 | 10 | 0.0084% |
| 1902 | #704 | 11 | 0.0090% |
| 1901 | #796 | 8 | 0.0075% |
| 1900 | #519 | 21 | 0.0140% |
| 1899 | #674 | 10 | 0.0094% |
| 1898 | #830 | 8 | 0.0065% |
| 1896 | #688 | 11 | 0.0092% |
| 1895 | #616 | 12 | 0.0102% |
| 1894 | #525 | 15 | 0.0130% |
| 1893 | #516 | 14 | 0.0125% |
| 1892 | #613 | 12 | 0.0098% |
| 1891 | #503 | 13 | 0.0128% |
| 1890 | #466 | 16 | 0.0144% |
| 1889 | #639 | 10 | 0.0090% |
| 1888 | #472 | 17 | 0.0141% |
| 1887 | #467 | 14 | 0.0138% |
| 1886 | #582 | 11 | 0.0099% |
| 1885 | #509 | 14 | 0.0130% |
| 1884 | #675 | 9 | 0.0079% |
| 1883 | #750 | 7 | 0.0067% |
| 1882 | #778 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1881 | #618 | 9 | 0.0089% |
| 1880 | #613 | 10 | 0.0091% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
