Emily
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Emily
Emily may have dropped somewhat in the current standings, but it was the most popular American girl name for over a decade in the 90s and 2000s, likely because it appeals on many levels. It's classic, simple, pretty, and strong, with great literary namesakes (Emily Dickinson and Emily Brontë) and the potential for nicknames Emmy, Milly, Mimi, and Em.
A relative of Emil and Emilia, the name was derived from the Roman Aemilia, which likely evolved from the Latin word aemulus, meaning "rival". While this may feel like a negative meaning, you could interpret "rival" as meaning to "match, equal, or to emulate" something or someone — or you could even see it as a name to inspire a sense of hard work, ambition, and striving.
Despite their similarities, Amelia and Emma have separate origins to Emily: both are Germanic,, meaning "work" and "universal" respectively.
Modern Emilys in the spotlight include a number of actresses — Emily Blunt, Emily Mortimer, Emily Deschanel — and even Emma Stone was christened Emily. Outside of the spotlight, Emily remains a favorite, ranking in the Top 100 in Australia, Austria, England and Wales, Ireland, Canada, Italy, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Switzerland, and the US in a recent year.
Love Emily but want a less popular choice? You could try Romilly, Emerence, Elodie, or Cecily.
Emily is also given to boys, where it ranks #7833 in the US.
Pronounced EM-uh-lee.
As of October 2026, Emily ranked #34 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #1 in 2004, Nameberry popularity #41.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · girls | Births · girls | US rank · boys | Births · boys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #7 | 12,667 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #8 | 11,806 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #9 | 11,004 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #12 | 9,813 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #12 | 8,716 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #12 | 8,256 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #18 | 6,914 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #21 | 6,591 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #17 | 6,495 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #19 | 6,172 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #25 | 5,955 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #34 | 5,451 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Emily for girls
Emily for boys
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Emily.
Emily on lists
Famous Emilys
- Emily Jane BronteGirl
English novelist
- Emily Elizabeth DickinsonGirl
American poet
- Emily PostGirl
American author and etiquette guru
- Emily Margaret WatsonGirl
English actress
- Emily Jordan OsmentGirl
American actress
- Emily Olivia Leah BluntGirl
English actress
- Emily Greene BalchGirl
American economist, sociologist, and pacifist
- Emily Jean "Emma" StoneGirl
American actress
- EmilyGirl
May Stephenson, English actress
- Emily Rebecca KinneyGirl
American actress and singer
- Emily CarrGirl
Canadian painter
- Emily St. John MandelGirl
Canadian author
- Emily Lau (WaiGirl
hing), Hong Kong politician
- Emily West (born Emily Marie Nemmers)Girl
American singer
- Emily Erin DeschanelGirl
American actress
- Emily Kathleen Anne MortimerGirl
English actress and screenwriter
- Emily Irene VanCampGirl
Canadian actress
- Emily HainesGirl
Canadian,American singer,songwriter
- Emily Robison (born Emily Burns Erwin)Girl
American singer,songwriter
- Emily SaliersGirl
American singer,songwriter
- Emily Anne HughesGirl
American figure skater
- Emily SmithGirl
Scottish folk singer
- Emily Ann SonnettGirl
American soccer player
- Emily Nicole BoydGirl
American soccer player
- Emily Townsend MengesGirl
American soccer player
- Emily Bett RickardsGirl
Canadian actress
- Emily Louise Van EgmondGirl
Australian soccer player
- Emily Jane ZurrerGirl
Canadian soccer player
- Emily Sofia Alvarado NatividadGirl
Mexican American football player
- Emily RatajkowskiGirl
American model and actress
- Emily Palmer MarshallGirl
character on ZOOM
- Emily Beth Stern (b. 1983)Girl
daughter of radio/TV personality Howard Stern
- Emily Clarkson (b. 1995)Girl
daughter of TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson
- Emily Cunliffe (b. 1998)Girl
daughter of TV personality Kym Marsh of "Loose Women"
- Emily Grace Stanley (b. 2011)Girl
daughter of American musician Paul Stanley
- Emily Dale Griffin (b. 2017)Girl
daughter of actress Sutton Foster and Ted Griffin
- Emily DobsonGirl
American actress
- Emily GonzalezGirl
American YouTuber
- Emily SalchGirl
Contestant and fourth-place finisher on Season 1 of Love Island USA
Emily in pop culture
- EmilyGirl
character in novel "The One Apart" by author Justine Avery
- Lady Emily AshtonGirl
main character of the Lady Emily mysteries by Tasha Alexander
- EmilyGirl
main character in novelette "The Post,it Note Affair" by author Justine Avery
- Emily BarhamGirl
character in novel and 1964 film "The Americanization of Emily"
- Emily BartlettGirl
title character in Beverly Cleary's "Emily's Runaway Imagination"
- Emily BishopGirl
character on British soap "Coronation Street"
- Emily Byrd StarrGirl
main character in L.M. Montgomery's Emily of New Moon series
- Emily DuffGirl
character in animated series "Tiny Toon Adventures"
- Emily ElizabethGirl
character in the Clifford the Big Red Dog series
- Emily EyefingerGirl
children's book series by Duncan Ball and Craig Smith
- Emily FieldsGirl
character on TV's "Pretty Little Liars"
- Emily BennettGirl
character on TV's "The Vampire Diaries"
- Emily BennettGirl
character in the Molly: An American Girl book series and movie
- Emily FitchGirl
character on TV's "Skins"
- Emily FosterGirl
main character in 1976 film "Emily"
- Emily FranciscoGirl
character on TV's "Alien Nation"
- Emily GilmoreGirl
Lorelai Gilmore's mother on TV's "Gilmore Girls"
- Emily GriersonGirl
main character in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily"
- Emily Wheiler 'Neferet'Girl
main antagonist of the House of Night series (PC Cast)
- Emily HartwoodGirl
character in video game series Alone in the Dark
- Emily KirkGirl
character on British soap "Emmerdale"
- Emily LightmanGirl
character on TV's "Lie to Me"
- Emily LockeGirl
main character on TV's "Powerless"
- Emily PollifaxGirl
main character in mystery novels by Dorothy Gilman
- Emily PrentissGirl
character on TV's "Criminal Minds"
- Emily RappaportGirl
character in J.K. Rowling's "History of Magic in North America"
- Emily ShelbyGirl
character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin'
- Emily the StrangeGirl
cartoon and merchandising character
- Emily ThorneGirl
main character on TV's "Revenge," played by Emily VanCamp
- Emily WeaverGirl
character in film "Crazy, Stupid, Love"
- Emily WindsnapGirl
main character in a series of novels by Liz Kessler
- Emily WyattGirl
character in the video game Deadly Premonition
- Emily YoungGirl
character in The Twilight Saga
- EmilyGirl
character in animated film "The Corpse Bride"
- EmilyGirl
character in the comic strip Peanuts
- EmilyGirl
character on TV's "Power Rangers Samurai"
- EmilyGirl
steam locomotive on animated series "Thomas & Friends"
- "EmilyGirl
" French animated series and its main character
- Emily "Em"Girl
character in video game "Until Dawn"
- Emily Drexel Lela KaldwinGirl
character in "Dishonored" video game series
- Emily RoseGirl
character in "The Exorcism of Emily Rose"
- Emily "Em" GaleGirl
character in "The Wizard of Oz"
- EmilyGirl
the wife in Definitely, Maybe
- Emily BennettGirl
an American Girl Doll who is Molly Mcintire's best friend
- EmilyGirl
a character in the TV show "The Next Step"
- Miss Emily BaldwinGirl
character in "The Waltons"
- Emily AgresteGirl
character in "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir"
- Emily SweeneyGirl
character in TV series "The Big Bang Theory"
- Emily BoschGirl
character, Captain in the upcoming series "Star Trek: Picard"
- Emily BirdyGirl
character in the World of Webkinz
- Emily WalthamGirl
Ross’ ex,wife in FRIENDS
- Emily WalkerGirl
character on TV's "Walker"
- "Emily"Girl
song by Joanna Newsom
- Emily TylerGirl
main character in movie "Billboard Dad"
- EmilyGirl
character in the video game "Stardew Valley"
Variations & nicknames
More nicknames
- AemileyGirl
- AemilieGirl
- AmaleaGirl
- AmeldyGirl
- AmeliaGirl
- AmelineGirl
- AmelitaGirl
- AmellaGirl
- EmGirl
- EmailiGirl
- EmailyGirl
- EmaleeGirl
- EmaleighGirl
- EmaliGirl
- EmalieGirl
- EmalinaGirl
- EmalyGirl
- EmeleaGirl
- EmelinaGirl
- EmelineGirl
- EmellieGirl
- EmellyGirl
- EmelyGirl
- EmelynGirl
- EmelyneGirl
- EmeraGirl
- EmiGirl
- EmieGirl
- EmileeGirl
- EmileighGirl
- EmileyGirl
- EmilieGirl
- EmilienneGirl
- EmilisGirl
- EmillaGirl
- EmilleaGirl
- EmilleeGirl
- EmilleyGirl
- EmillieGirl
- EmillyGirl
- EmillynGirl
- EmillynnGirl
- EmlinGirl
- EmlynGirl
- EmlynnGirl
- EmlynneGirl
- EmmaGirl
- EmmaleeGirl
- EmmaleneGirl
- EmmalieGirl
- EmmalinaGirl
- EmmalineGirl
- EmmalyGirl
- EmmalynGirl
- EmmalynnGirl
- EmmalynneGirl
- EmmeleeGirl
- EmmelieGirl
- EmmelineGirl
- EmmelyGirl
- EmmeyGirl
- EmmieGirl
- EmmileeGirl
- EmmilieGirl
- EmmyGirl
- EmmyeGirl
- EmyleGirl
- EmyleeGirl
- MeliaGirl
- MilaGirl
- MiliaGirl