Emily
EM-i-lee /ˈɛm.ɪ.li/
Meaning of Emily
Emily is the English form of the Roman family name Aemilia, the feminine of Aemilius — from Latin aemulus, 'rival' or 'eager to equal.' The English use begins in the medieval period via Chaucer's Emelye (in The Knight's Tale) and intensifies in the 19th century with the Brontë family.
Current popularity of Emily
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #21 |
Notable bearers of Emily
Emily Brontë; Emily Dickinson; Emily Blunt.
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Emily — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31