Emerson
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Emerson since 1880 — 67,571 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Emerson
Emerson is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #122 in 2025 with 2,241 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 67,571 American babies have been named Emerson — about 50% girls and 50% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 3,612 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Emerson stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Emerson year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,241 | #122 | 1,371 | #254 |
| 2024 | 1,971 | #151 | 1,276 | #270 |
| 2023 | 1,774 | #161 | 1,261 | #268 |
| 2022 | 1,724 | #170 | 1,269 | #274 |
| 2021 | 1,743 | #168 | 1,239 | #277 |
| 2020 | 1,793 | #155 | 1,276 | #268 |
| 2019 | 1,865 | #152 | 1,344 | #269 |
| 2018 | 1,948 | #143 | 1,242 | #284 |
| 2017 | 1,978 | #150 | 1,322 | #276 |
| 2016 | 1,962 | #161 | 1,226 | #295 |
| 2015 | 1,798 | #180 | 1,203 | #300 |
| 2014 | 1,683 | #196 | 1,056 | #324 |
| 2013 | 1,525 | #211 | 979 | #331 |
| 2012 | 1,313 | #245 | 838 | #363 |
| 2011 | 1,151 | #276 | 737 | #387 |
| 2010 | 1,010 | #316 | 636 | #430 |
| 2009 | 1,017 | #323 | 639 | #437 |
| 2008 | 1,165 | #290 | 585 | #473 |
| 2007 | 1,080 | #312 | 537 | #493 |
| 2006 | 1,069 | #308 | 469 | #539 |
| 2005 | 683 | #443 | 387 | #585 |
| 2004 | 268 | #904 | 267 | #718 |
| 2003 | 324 | #766 | 264 | #709 |
| 2002 | 280 | #833 | 223 | #774 |
| 2001 | 183 | #1,141 | 225 | #762 |
| 2000 | 136 | #1,369 | 170 | #911 |
| 1995 | 16 | #5,759 | 139 | #943 |
| 1990 | — | — | 130 | #905 |
| 1985 | — | — | 87 | #976 |
| 1980 | — | — | 67 | #1,107 |
| 1975 | — | — | 66 | #1,012 |
| 1970 | — | — | 70 | #960 |
| 1965 | — | — | 74 | #854 |
| 1960 | — | — | 89 | #811 |
| 1955 | — | — | 79 | #825 |
| 1950 | — | — | 102 | #679 |
| 1945 | — | — | 82 | #665 |
| 1940 | — | — | 125 | #520 |
| 1935 | — | — | 110 | #549 |
| 1930 | — | — | 171 | #455 |
| 1925 | — | — | 231 | #394 |
| 1920 | — | — | 259 | #373 |
| 1915 | — | — | 229 | #354 |
| 1910 | — | — | 52 | #356 |
| 1905 | — | — | 36 | #341 |
| 1900 | — | — | 34 | #382 |
| 1895 | — | — | 21 | #430 |
| 1890 | — | — | 13 | #543 |
| 1885 | — | — | 17 | #446 |
| 1880 | — | — | 25 | #344 |
Famous people named Emerson
- Emerson Fittipaldi Racing driver · b. 1946
- Emerson Soccer player · b. 1976
- Emerson Sheik Soccer player · b. 1978
- Emerson Spencer Athlete · 1906–1985
- Emerson Orlando de Melo Soccer player · b. 1973
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Emerson mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Emerson in 2025?
Emerson ranked #122 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,241 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Emerson?
67,571 babies have been named Emerson in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Emerson most popular?
Emerson peaked in 2025, when 3,612 newborns received the name.
Is Emerson a boy or girl name?
Emerson is used for both: about 50% of babies named Emerson have been girls and 50% boys.
Is the name Emerson rising or falling?
Emerson is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Emerson?
Well-known people named Emerson include Emerson Fittipaldi (racing driver), Emerson (soccer player), Emerson Sheik (soccer player).