Emma
/EM-ə/
Emma is a girl name of Germanic origin, meaning Whole, universal.
- GenderGirl
- OriginGermanic
- StyleModern
- Syllables2
- US rank#2
What does Emma mean?
Whole, universal
Emma began as a short form of Germanic compound names beginning with the element ermen- or irmin-, meaning "whole", "universal" or "immense". Over time the short form eclipsed the longer names it came from, and Emma became an independent name in its own right.
The story behind the name
The name reached England with Emma of Normandy, who married first King Aethelred the Unready and then his conqueror, King Cnut. She was the mother of two kings and one of the most politically formidable women of the eleventh century, and her prominence planted the name firmly in English soil.
Emma faded after the medieval period and was rescued, as several names were, by literature: Jane Austen's Emma of 1815 gave the name a heroine who was clever, wealthy and pleasantly insufferable. It climbed steadily through the nineteenth century, dipped sharply in the mid-twentieth, and then staged one of the most complete comebacks in naming history.
Emma reached number one in the United States in 2008 and has held at or near the top ever since - a name that has now been fashionable in three separate centuries.
Notable people named Emma
- Emma of Normandy, queen of England, Denmark and Norway
- Emma Watson, actor
- Emma Stone, actor
- Emma Thompson, actor and screenwriter
- Emma Goldman, political writer
How popular is Emma?
Popularity in the United States
Emma has been given to 707,552 babies in the United States since 1880, peaking in the 2010s. It has been climbing over the last two decades.
About 1 in 106 babies born in the United States were given this name in the most recent year on record.
Popularity in France
Emma has been given to 168,680 babies in France since 1900, peaking in the 2000s. It has been climbing over the last two decades.
Popularity in Spain
There are 41,659 people called Emma living in Spain, with an average age of 15.2.
Variants and related names
Other spellings: Ema, Emmy, Emmie, Emma-Rose
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Start swiping - it's freeFrequently asked questions about Emma
What does the name Emma mean?
Emma means Whole, universal. It is of Germanic origin.
Is Emma a boy's or a girl's name?
Emma is most often given to girls.
How do you pronounce Emma?
Emma is pronounced EM-ə.
How popular is the name Emma?
Emma has been given to 707,552 babies in the United States since 1880, peaking in the 2010s. It has been climbing over the last two decades.
What are other spellings of Emma?
Common variants include Ema, Emmy, Emmie, Emma-Rose.