Girl
Latin / Germanic
3 syllables
Emily
EH-mih-lee
/ˈɛmɪliː/
"The industrious one" — a name of ambition and timeless elegance
Emily is a classic name rooted in the Roman family name Aemilia, itself from the Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival' or 'striving to excel'. Its literary pedigree is extraordinary — Emily Brontë, Emily Dickinson, Emily Blunt — giving the name an aura of creative intelligence and quiet strength. It dominated the US popularity charts throughout the 1990s and remains a top-10 staple today, beloved for its musical rhythm, feminine warmth, and timeless versatility.
Quick Facts
Letters5
SyllablesEm-i-ly
GenderGirl
OriginLatin / Germanic
Root WordAemilia
MeaningRival, industrious, striving
PopularityVery Popular
Peak Year1996
Trend
→ Stable
Name DayJuly 18
Nicknames
EmEmmyMillieEmm
About the Name Emily
Emily means 'rival' or 'industrious', from the Roman family name Aemilia, rooted in the Latin 'aemulus'.
Yes — Emily has been consistently popular for over a century and held the #1 spot in the US throughout most of the 1990s.
Emily Dickinson (poet), Emily Brontë (author), and Emily Blunt (actress) are among the most celebrated.
Emily Rose, Emily Grace, Emily Claire, and Emily Jane all flow beautifully.
Emily is almost exclusively a girl's name, one of the most popular female names in the English-speaking world.
Personality of Emily
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Emily
creativity
88%
elegance
85%
independence
78%
intelligence
90%
strength
75%
warmth
82%
Famous People Named Emily
E
Emily Dickinson
19th-century American poet, one of the most celebrated in history
E
Emily Brontë
British author of Wuthering Heights, literary icon
E
Emily Blunt
British-American actress, Oscar-nominated star of many films
E
Emily Ratajkowski
American model and actress known globally
Middle Names for Emily
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Emily
Emily Rose
Emily Grace
Emily Claire
Emily Jane
Emily Anne
Emily Kate
Emily Mae
Emily Hope
Emily Pearl
Emily Joy
Names Similar to Emily
Similar Sound
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Emily
1st century
Aemilia clan prominent in ancient Rome; name carries patrician prestige
1847
Emily Brontë publishes Wuthering Heights, cementing literary legacy
1880s
Emily Dickinson's poetry published posthumously, elevating name's artistic aura
1996
Emily reaches #1 most popular girl's name in the United States
2000s
Remains top-3 for over a decade, a generational classic
Numerology & Symbolism of Emily
1
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
5
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Virgo
5
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Green
💎
Lucky Stone
Emerald
🌸
Lucky Flower
Lily of the Valley
Emily Around the World
How Emily is written in different languages and scripts
إيميلي
Arabic
エミリー
Japanese
Эмили
Russian
에밀리
Korean
艾米莉
Chinese
Έμιλι
Greek
एमिली
Hindi
אמילי
Hebrew
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