Mostly girls
Abigail
Hebrew
“my father is joyful”
Mostly girls · Feminine variation of Emil, Latin
Emily
“rival”
Say it EM-uh-leePronunciation may vary by region.
See your shortlist ↗
A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Meet Emily.
Emily belongs to the Latin Aemilia name family, traditionally associated with aemulus, meaning rival. It is related to Emilia and Emil. Amelia and Emma sound similar but have different Germanic histories.
Emily Dickinson and Emily Brontë give it strong literary associations. Em, Emmy and Milly offer shorter forms, allowing parents to choose between the full three-syllable name and an informal everyday version.
5 lettersLatin origins ↗
A little perspective
How popular is Emily?
Girls · 2025#345,451 recorded births
Boys · 2025#7,83310 recorded births
Recorded US births over time
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 7,833 | 10 |
| 2025 | Girls | 34 | 5,451 |
| 2024 | Boys | 7,931 | 10 |
| 2024 | Girls | 25 | 5,984 |
| 2023 | Boys | 8,445 | 9 |
| 2023 | Girls | 19 | 6,177 |
| 2022 | Girls | 17 | 6,498 |
| 2021 | Boys | 11,163 | 6 |
| 2021 | Girls | 21 | 6,594 |
| 2020 | Boys | 7,162 | 11 |
| 2020 | Girls | 18 | 6,918 |
| 2019 | Boys | 9,127 | 8 |
| 2019 | Girls | 12 | 8,259 |
| 2018 | Boys | 7,273 | 11 |
| 2018 | Girls | 12 | 8,718 |
| 2017 | Boys | 12,856 | 5 |
| 2017 | Girls | 12 | 9,817 |
| 2016 | Boys | 9,962 | 7 |
| 2016 | Girls | 9 | 11,006 |
| 2015 | Boys | 5,360 | 17 |
| 2015 | Girls | 8 | 11,808 |
| 2014 | Boys | 7,195 | 11 |
| 2014 | Girls | 7 | 12,670 |
Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.
A few ways to make it theirs.
Nicknames
EmEmmy
Variations & related forms
EmilieEmilia
Keep the possibilities coming
If you love Emily…
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