Emily
English form of Latin Aemilia, a gens name from aemulus (“rival, emulator”).
Every Emily since 1880 — 898,296 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Emily
Emily is a top-50 name for girls in the United States, ranked #34 in 2025 with 5,451 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 898,296 American babies have been named Emily. Its peak came in 1999, when 26,587 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Emily stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Emily 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 | 5,451 | #34 | 10 | #7,833 |
| 2024 | 5,984 | #25 | 10 | #7,931 |
| 2023 | 6,177 | #19 | 9 | #8,445 |
| 2022 | 6,498 | #17 | — | — |
| 2021 | 6,594 | #21 | 6 | #11,163 |
| 2020 | 6,918 | #18 | 11 | #7,162 |
| 2019 | 8,259 | #12 | 8 | #9,127 |
| 2018 | 8,718 | #12 | 11 | #7,273 |
| 2017 | 9,817 | #12 | 5 | #12,856 |
| 2016 | 11,006 | #9 | 7 | #9,962 |
| 2015 | 11,808 | #8 | 17 | #5,360 |
| 2014 | 12,670 | #7 | 11 | #7,195 |
| 2013 | 13,144 | #7 | 20 | #4,674 |
| 2012 | 13,666 | #6 | 21 | #4,583 |
| 2011 | 14,277 | #6 | 11 | #7,144 |
| 2010 | 14,281 | #6 | 20 | #4,730 |
| 2009 | 15,366 | #6 | 19 | #4,983 |
| 2008 | 17,448 | #3 | 26 | #3,968 |
| 2007 | 19,367 | #1 | 27 | #3,814 |
| 2006 | 21,412 | #1 | 31 | #3,405 |
| 2005 | 23,952 | #1 | 33 | #3,108 |
| 2004 | 25,042 | #1 | 120 | #1,256 |
| 2003 | 25,693 | #1 | 41 | #2,519 |
| 2002 | 24,470 | #1 | 34 | #2,774 |
| 2001 | 25,059 | #1 | 32 | #2,885 |
| 2000 | 25,959 | #1 | 30 | #2,939 |
| 1995 | 24,382 | #3 | 40 | #2,063 |
| 1990 | 19,370 | #12 | 53 | #1,573 |
| 1985 | 13,144 | #24 | 47 | #1,435 |
| 1980 | 9,001 | #31 | 33 | #1,741 |
| 1975 | 5,482 | #48 | 16 | #2,566 |
| 1970 | 1,931 | #173 | 6 | #4,398 |
| 1965 | 1,288 | #238 | — | — |
| 1960 | 1,225 | #251 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,304 | #223 | — | — |
| 1950 | 1,316 | #203 | 7 | #3,127 |
| 1945 | 1,134 | #181 | 7 | #2,825 |
| 1940 | 1,269 | #164 | 5 | #3,606 |
| 1935 | 1,094 | #173 | — | — |
| 1930 | 1,344 | #154 | 10 | #2,658 |
| 1925 | 1,767 | #145 | 5 | #4,399 |
| 1920 | 2,168 | #119 | 7 | #3,595 |
| 1915 | 2,091 | #99 | — | — |
| 1910 | 785 | #110 | — | — |
| 1905 | 683 | #100 | — | — |
| 1900 | 626 | #105 | — | — |
| 1895 | 605 | #89 | — | — |
| 1890 | 509 | #86 | — | — |
| 1885 | 346 | #87 | — | — |
| 1880 | 210 | #100 | — | — |
Famous people named Emily
- Emily Brontë Writer · 1818–1848
- Emily Dickinson Writer · 1830–1886
- Emily Greene Balch Social activist · 1867–1961
- Emily Davison Extremist · 1872–1913
- Emily Watson Actor · b. 1967
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Emily mean?
English form of Latin Aemilia, a gens name from aemulus (“rival, emulator”).
How popular is the name Emily in 2025?
Emily ranked #34 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 5,451 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Emily?
898,296 babies have been named Emily in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Emily most popular?
Emily peaked in 1999, when 26,587 newborns received the name.
Is Emily a boy or girl name?
Emily is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Emily rising or falling?
Emily is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Emily?
Well-known people named Emily include Emily Brontë (writer), Emily Dickinson (writer), Emily Greene Balch (social activist).