Emma Name Meaning, Origin, History, And Popularity

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In This Article

Origin, Meaning, And History of Emma

Emma is a feminine name derived from the Germanic word “ermen” or “irmen” meaning “whole” or “universal.” In Greek, Emma meaning “blood” is a variant of Emmanuel. In Hebrew, the name stands for “all containing” or “my God has answered.” Emma can also be linked with Emanuel in the Bible, which means “God with us.” It is a diminutive of Amelia or Emmeline.

The name has been historically linked to the Emma of Normandy, who became the English, Danish, and Norwegian queen being consort to two kings. However, its earliest use can be traced back to the 7th century with Emma of Austrasia, a member of the Austrasian royal family and is sometimes identified as the Emma, who married the Eadbald of Kent. Emma is also considered to be the protector of the scriptures, who helped in the translation of the Book of Mormon. She wrote careful verses and was Joseph’s first scribe.

The name also has strong literary connections and is repeatedly used by noteworthy English authors and poets. Emma Woodhouse is the title character in Jane Austen’s 1815 novel ‘Emma.’ Emma Frost is a character in the American comic books published by ‘Marvel Comics.’ This name also appears in the poem ‘Henry and Emma’ by Matthew Prior, published in 1709. Emma Geller Green appears in the popular television series ‘Friends’ as the baby daughter of Rachel and Ross.

Emma has been the top girl’s name in the US. It also appears in the list of top fashionable names starting with E, along with Ella, Eliza, and Eleanor. Over the last 13 years, parents have chosen this simple yet elegant name for their baby girls in the US.

Emma

Meaning Whole; Universal

Gender Girl

Religion Christianity

Origin Ancient Germanic, Old Norse

Lucky Number 5

Syllables Two

Length 1 word, 4 letters, 2 vowels, 2 consonants

Type Short and easy to pronounce

How To Pronounce Emma?

Pronounced as eh-mah

The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.

Listen to the sound of the name Emma in German.

Listen to the sound of the name Emma in English.

Famous People With This Name

Emma WatsonBritish actress in the Harry Potter series
Emma StoneAmerican actress and recipient of the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award.
Emma ChamberlainAmerican internet personality
Emma ClineAmerican writer whose first novel, The Girls, was published in 2016
Emma MalabuyoAmerican gymnast

Emma On The Popularity Chart

Emma isn’t a new name. It started to gain popularity modestly in the 2000s after it was chosen as the moniker in “Friends.”

Popularity Over Time

The name consistently rose in popularity after the year 2000, and in 2021, 15433 babies per million were named Emma. The graph shows its popularity from 1980 until present.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time

Emma’s rank skyrocketed to the second position in 2003 and the first position in 2008. See the graph below to have a closer look.

Source: Social Security Administration

Emma On MomJunction Popularity Chart

Know how popular the name Emma is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.

Names With Similar Sound As Emma

If you found the moniker Emma regal, but want to look for a different name with similar sound, here are some interesting and inspiring options.

Ema

Popular Sibling Names For Emma

If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Emma, check our suggestions here.

Boy Sibling Names For Emma

Find matching brother names for Emma and create a wonderful team of siblings.

Girl Sibling Names For Emma

Looking for some suitable sister names for Emma? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.

Other Popular Names Beginning With E

Looking for more baby names starting with the letter E to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.

Names With Similar Meaning As Emma

Did you find the meaning of Emma alluring? Here are some other names with similar meanings.

Anagram Names Of Emma

William Shakespeare is known for his ‘onomastic wit,’ with anagrams being one of them (remember the play Twelfth Night?). Anagram is the rearrangement of the same letters to form different words. Anagramming names has been in vogue for centuries now, and why not when it can create some cute names? Anagram baby names stand out with their unique sound and spellings. You may try an anagram of your name or your partner’s; even better if you combine both names and then try an anagram for the baby. It all stays in the family this way. You may also try anagram names for siblings, especially twins. Here are some anagrams of Emma.

Mema

Mame

Popular Songs On The Name Emma

Emma has a lyrical presence in various songs. Check them out here.

Song	Artist
When Emma Falls in Love (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)	Taylor Swift
Emma	Steven Price
For Emma	Bon Iver
Emma	Imagine Dragons
Emma	Hot Chocolate
Emma Suite	Isobel Waller-Bridge
Emma Is Lost	Isobel Waller-Bridge
Emma	Andrew Barth Feldman

Acrostic Poem On Emma

Dive into the lyrical charm of the name Emma with this acrostic poem. Witness how each letter paints together a story, capturing the name’s individuality, strength, vitality, and sophistication. Inspiring, is it? Why not try a similar poem that describes what you think of your baby’s personality?

Energetic and enthusiastic, the expeditions you will embark on are endless.

Mystical as the star-speckled moonlit night.

Meticulous and methodical with attention to detail.

Affectionate heart, you speak through loving actions.

Emma’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology

Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name emma. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.

Zodiac Sign (Rashi)

As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.

Rashi (zodiac sign)	Mesha (Aries)
Starting letters for Mesha (Aries) rashi	A, L, E, I, O
Representation	Ram
Element	Fire
Ruling body	Mars
Quality	Movable (chara)

Birth Star (Nakshatra)

Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.

The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Mesha (Aries) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.

Nakshatra	Degrees Of The Nakshatra	Nakshatra Lord (Ruler)	Name Syllables
Ashwini (Awasthi, Aswini)	Aries (0 to 13.20 degrees)	Ketu	Chu, Che, Cho, Choo, La, Laa
Bharani	Aries (13. 20 to 26.40 degrees)	Venus	Lee, Lu, Le, Lo, Li
Krittika (Karthikai, Krithika)	Aries (26.40 to 30.00 degrees)	Sun	Aa, Ae, E, Ee, Ai, A, I, Oo, U

Infographic: Know The Name Emma‘s Personality As Per Numerology

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Emma In Different Languages

It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Emma in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Emma, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!

Name	Language	Code
Emma	English	en
艾玛	Chinese	zh-CN
एम्मा	Hindi	hi
Emma	Spanish	es
Emma	French	fr
إيما	Arabic	ar
এমা	Bengali	bn
Emma	Portuguese	pt
Эмма	Russian	ru
ایما	Urdu	ur
Emma	Indonesian	id
Emma	German	de
エマ	Japanese	ja
एम्मा	Marathi	mr
ఎమ్మా	Telugu	te
Emma	Turkish	tr
எம்மா	Tamil	ta
Emma	Vietnamese	vi
Emma	Tagalog	tl
엠마	Korean	ko
Emma	Hausa	ha
Emma	Swahili	sw
Emma	Javanese	jv
Emma	Italian	it
ਐਮਾ	Punjabi	pa
એમ્મા	Gujarati	gu
เอ็มม่า	Thai	th
ಎಮ್ಮಾ	Kannada	kn
ኤማ	Amharic	am
एम्मा	Bhojpuri	bho
Emma	Yoruba	yo

Emma In Different Languages

Name	Language	Code
Emma	English	en
艾玛	Chinese	zh-CN
एम्मा	Hindi	hi
Emma	Spanish	es
Emma	French	fr
إيما	Arabic	ar
এমা	Bengali	bn
Emma	Portuguese	pt
Эмма	Russian	ru
ایما	Urdu	ur
Emma	Indonesian	id
Emma	German	de
エマ	Japanese	ja
एम्मा	Marathi	mr
ఎమ్మా	Telugu	te
Emma	Turkish	tr
எம்மா	Tamil	ta
Emma	Vietnamese	vi
Emma	Tagalog	tl
엠마	Korean	ko
Emma	Hausa	ha
Emma	Swahili	sw
Emma	Javanese	jv
Emma	Italian	it
ਐਮਾ	Punjabi	pa
એમ્મા	Gujarati	gu
เอ็มม่า	Thai	th
ಎಮ್ಮಾ	Kannada	kn
ኤማ	Amharic	am
एम्मा	Bhojpuri	bho
Emma	Yoruba	yo

How To Communicate The Name Emma In Sign Languages

In Nautical Flags

emma

In Sign Language

emma

In Braille Alphabet

emma

In Morse Code

emma

Name Numerology For Emma

Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Emma, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.

Baby Name Lists Containing Emma

Read through our baby name lists that include the name Emma and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?

Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Emma

Discover the presence of Emma in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.

Movie title	Other titles	Release year
Nina & Emma		2023
Emma in Love	Błędy, Chyby, Mistakes, エマ晒された裸体	2021
Emma.	Ema, Emma, Emma：上流貴族, EMMA., Έμμα, Ема., Емма, Эмма., 艾瑪.	2020
Emma Peeters	Ema Peters, Le Suicide d'Emma Peeters, Эмма Питерс	2018
Jane and Emma		2018
Billie and Emma		2018
In Emma's Footsteps		2018
Casper and Emma Go Treasure Hunting	Casper & Emma op jacht naar de schat, Kacper i Emma szukają skarbu, Karsten och Petra på skattjakt, Karsten og Petra på skattejakt, Karstens un Petra dārgumu medībās, Kasper og Sofie på skattejagt	2018

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Emma a royal name?

Emma was used in the past as the name of several women from royal families. Irrespective of its history, girls from non-royal families also carry this name with elan.

2. What nationality is the name Emma?

Emma is a Germanic and old French name. Also, it has references in Latin, from the name Amelia. It has since become popular and is now chosen for baby girls in multiple countries.

3. What type of personality does Emma represent?

A name does not define an individual’s personality; their behavior and experiences do. That said, since the name Emma was borne by saints and queens and means ‘universal,’ it can represent a strong personality.

4. What is a good middle name for Emma?

Emma is considered a royal name. So, you can pair it with other names with a royal connection. Diana meaning ‘divine,’ can suit Emma, along with Amelia, meaning ‘work.’ The classic French name Louise, meaning ‘famous warrior,’ can blend well with Emma, and so can Beatrice, meaning ‘someone who brings happiness.’

5. Is Emma a rare name?

Emma is not at all rare but an extremely popular name in the US. In 2022, 14,435 babies were named Emma. The name has remained among the top 3 most popular in the US since 2003. From 2014 to 2017, Emma was listed as the most popular name; as of 2022, it holds the 2nd rank (1).

6. What is a nickname for Emma?

For Emma, you may consider nicknames such as Em, Emmy, Emsie, and Emster. As parents, however, you may choose any nickname for your child, and it may or may not be related to their actual given name.

References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

Popularity of name Emma.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

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