Emily
Gender: Girl
Meaning: Rival; industrious; eager
Origin: Latin Aemilia, from the Roman family name Aemilius — possibly from aemulus (rival)
Popularity: Ranked #34 in 2025 with 5,451 babies born.
History: Emily traces to the ancient Roman Aemilii clan and was carried through history by saints and royals. But its modern identity belongs to literature: Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights, and Emily Dickinson is one of America's greatest poets — both gave the name a soul of quiet intensity and creative depth. Emily dominated the U.S. girls chart from 1996 to 2007, holding #1 for an extraordinary 12 consecutive years. It remains one of the most-loved names of the past three decades.
Famous people named Emily: Emily Dickinson (poet), Emily Blunt (actress), Emily Brontë (author), Emily Ratajkowski (model)
Name length: 5 letters
How common is Emily? About 1 in 610 babies born in 2025 were named Emily, or roughly 15 per day in the United States.
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Frequently asked about Emily
What does the name Emily mean?
Emily means “Rival; industrious; eager” from Latin Aemilia, from the Roman family name Aemilius — possibly from aemulus (rival) roots.
What is the origin of the name Emily?
Emily has Latin Aemilia, from the Roman family name Aemilius — possibly from aemulus (rival) origin. The traditional meaning is “Rival; industrious; eager”.
How popular is Emily?
Emily ranked #34 in 2025 — given to 5,451 babies that year.
When was Emily most popular?
Emily peaked in 1999 with 26,542 babies registered that year.
Is Emily a boy or girl name?
Emily is predominantly a girls' name — over 90% of Emilys in registered births are female.
Is the name Emily rising or falling in popularity?
Emily has fallen 16 spots in the rankings over the last 5 years — from #18 in 2020 to #34 in 2025.
How long has Emily been recorded?
Emily appears in birth records across 146 years — from 1880 through 2025.