Girls · #34 in 2025
Emily: Meaning, Origin & Popularity
- Origin
- English form of a Roman name
- Meaning
- Rival, through Aemilius
- Pronunciation
- EM-uh-lee
- Nickname options
- Em, Emmy
Origin and meaning
Emily is an English feminine form of the Roman family name Aemilius, connected with Latin aemulus, meaning rival. It belongs to the same broad name family as Emilia and Emil, although those spellings have their own histories of use.
U.S. popularity
Emily ranked #34 for girls in the United States in 2025, with 5,451 girls given this spelling. Its highest recorded U.S. rank was #1, reached in 1996–2007. Historical coverage: 1880–2025. Peak refers to rank, not the largest number of births.
Source: Social Security Administration; historical peaks calculated from its national name files. Rankings count each spelling separately within the listed sex.
The Hello Baby Names take
Emily feels friendly and balanced, with no particularly sharp or showy sound. That ease is its strength: it can sit beside a bold middle name or an elaborate surname without competing. Emmy adds a lively option when something shorter feels right.
Things to consider
Emily and Emilia are related but have different endings and rhythms. Try both in full if you are drawn to the shared opening.
If you love Emily, consider…
- Emilia: Keeps the family connection with a flowing ending.
- Sophie: Offers a similarly approachable classic.
- Abigail: Adds a more substantial sound and nickname options.
- Hannah: Shares the familiar, uncomplicated feeling.
- Lucy: Makes the lightness more compact.
- Natalie: Offers a comparable three-syllable rhythm.
- Eloise: Adds a more playful vintage twist.
- Emma: Distills the opening into a shorter name.