Emma is a girl name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Emma means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Emma across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Emma has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Emma is a girl name of Germanic origin meaning “whole, universal”. from the element ermen.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 778,172 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 50,424 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 24,275 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 4,286 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 26,364 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 13,764 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Emma per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2003 (22,756/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (4,232/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1991 (1,033/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2003 (791/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (307/yr).
Emma has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 2003, when it ranked #6 nationally (given to 27,178 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 2000s.
Oma · Amya · Ima · Emmy · Emmie · Amia · Emi · Eimy
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