The nameEmma
Emma is a girl's name of Germanic origin meaning "whole, universal". Worn by medieval queens and made famous by Jane Austen, it has been one of the most popular girls' names in the United States and Europe since the 2000s.
- Girl's name
- Germanic
Meaning
Emma comes from the Germanic element ermen or irmin, "whole, great, universal". It began as a short form of longer names such as Ermengarde or Irmgard.
Origin
Germanic. The name reached England with Emma of Normandy, who married two English kings, Æthelred the Unready and then Cnut, in the early 11th century.
History
Jane Austen's novel Emma (1815) and Flaubert's Madame Bovary gave the name a literary aura in the 19th century. After a long quiet spell it came back strongly in the 1990s. In the United States, Emma was the most popular name for baby girls in 2008 and again from 2014 to 2018, and it has also topped the charts in France, Austria and Norway.
Emma in other languages
Emma is spelled the same in almost every European language. A Germanic name, it began as a short form of names starting with Ermen or Irmin, "whole, universal", such as Ermengarde or Irmgard.
Nicknames for Emma
The most common nicknames for Emma: Em and Emmy.
Did you know?
- Emma of Normandy was twice Queen of England, as the wife of Æthelred the Unready and then of Cnut the Great, and two of her sons became kings.
- Jane Austen dedicated Emma (1815) to the Prince Regent, the future George IV, at his own request.
- In France, Emma was the most popular girls' name for more than ten years between 2005 and 2019.
Famous people named Emma
- Emma of Normandy, Queen of England
- Emma Thompson, actress
- Emma Watson, actress
- Emma Stone, actress
- Emma Raducanu, tennis player
Popularity of the name Emma
Emma in the United States
Emma was most popular in the United States in the 2010s, with 195,190 births over the decade, 26% of all recorded babies named Emma. Half of all babies named Emma in the United States were born before 2004. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 14,580 births a year on average, against 19,201 in the five years before.
Emma in the United Kingdom
Emma was most popular in the United Kingdom in the 2000s, with 28,753 births over the decade, 47% of all recorded babies named Emma. Half of all babies named Emma in the United Kingdom were born before 2005, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 803 births a year on average, against 1,176 in the five years before.
Emma in Ireland
Emma in France
Emma in Belgium
Emma in Switzerland
Emma in Austria
Emma in Norway
Variants and related names
Sibling names for Emma
Names from the same generation as Emma, whose popularity in the United States has followed a similar path.
How many people are named Emma? See the counter → · What would your name be in 1950? · Name origin quiz
Compare Emma with another name
Meaning, origin and popularity of Emma side by side with the name of your choice.
Emma in our baby name lists
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Emma mean?
Emma comes from the Germanic element ermen or irmin, "whole, great, universal". It began as a short form of longer names such as Ermengarde or Irmgard.
What is the origin of the name Emma?
Germanic. The name reached England with Emma of Normandy, who married two English kings, Æthelred the Unready and then Cnut, in the early 11th century.
Is Emma a girl's or a boy's name?
Emma is a girl's name.
How popular is the name Emma?
In 2024, Emma was the 2nd most popular name for baby girls in the United States, with 13,485 births.
What are the variants of the name Emma?
Variants and related names of Emma include Ema, Emmie, Emmy and Emy.
What are good sibling names for Emma?
Names from the same generation, with a similar popularity in the United States: Olivia, Ella, Caroline and Ava for a sister, William, Charles, Luke and Elijah for a brother.
What are common nicknames for Emma?
The most common nicknames for Emma are Em and Emmy.
Who are famous people named Emma?
Emma of Normandy, Queen of England; Emma Thompson, actress; Emma Watson, actress; Emma Stone, actress.