Emily
Emily is a girl's name of Latin origin.
Meaning
Rival, striving, or eager.
Origin and history
Emily is derived from the Roman family name Aemilius, which stems from the Latin word meaning 'rival' or 'eager'. It has been a classic favorite in English-speaking countries for centuries and topped the U.S. baby name charts for over a decade around the turn of the 21st century. Today, it remains extremely popular, consistently holding a spot among the top names for girls.
Popularity in the United States
896,487 babies in the United States have been named Emily since 1880. It ranks #18 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #20.
States where it is most popular
- CA (11.2 %)
- TX (7.7 %)
- NY (6.8 %)
- PA (4.8 %)
- IL (4.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 3,368 |
| 1890-1900 | 5,476 |
| 1900-1910 | 6,423 |
| 1910-1920 | 17,069 |
| 1920-1930 | 18,754 |
| 1930-1940 | 11,916 |
| 1940-1950 | 13,409 |
| 1950-1960 | 12,839 |
| 1960-1970 | 12,332 |
| 1970-1980 | 46,839 |
| 1980-1990 | 131,764 |
| 1990-2000 | 237,262 |
| 2000-2010 | 223,768 |
| 2010-2019 | 117,646 |
| 2020-2029 | 37,622 |
Famous people named Emily
- Emily Dickinson: Poet
- Emily Blunt: Actress
- Emily Watson: Actress
Nicknames
Em, Emmy, Emi, Mimi
Fun facts
- Emily was the single most popular name for newborn girls in the United States every year from 1996 through 2007.
- The name has strong ties to iconic literature, famously borne by author Emily Brontë and poet Emily Dickinson.