Emma Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Emma is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Emma?
Emma is spelled E-M-M-A. The name has 4 letters.
Emma at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Emma means “whole” or “universal.”
- Origin
- Emma may derive from the Germanic word element “ermen” meaning “whole” or “universal.”
- Pronunciation
- EM-ma · 2 syllables
Emma Popularity in 2025
Rank#3
Recorded Births12,754
Rank#6,143
Recorded Births14
- Girls usage fell 1 place to #3 and recorded 770 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 700 places to #6,143 and recorded 3 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Emma Mean?
Emma means “whole” or “universal.”
Origin: Emma may derive from the Germanic word element “ermen” meaning “whole” or “universal.”
How Do You Pronounce Emma?
PronunciationEM-ma
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Emma?
- History
- The name Emma has been used in various European languages and appears in historical records from the Middle Ages onward.
Emma Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 12,754 | #3 |
| 2025 | Boys | 14 | #6,143 |
| 2024 | Girls | 13,524 | #2 |
| 2024 | Boys | 17 | #5,443 |
| 2023 | Girls | 13,590 | #2 |
| 2023 | Boys | 17 | #5,470 |
| 2022 | Girls | 14,512 | #2 |
| 2022 | Boys | 15 | #5,874 |
| 2021 | Girls | 15,549 | #2 |
| 2021 | Boys | 14 | #6,032 |
| 2020 | Girls | 15,723 | #2 |
| 2020 | Boys | 19 | #4,855 |
| 2019 | Girls | 17,226 | #2 |
| 2019 | Boys | 11 | #7,173 |
| 2018 | Girls | 18,824 | #1 |
| 2018 | Boys | 9 | #8,154 |
| 2017 | Girls | 19,873 | #1 |
| 2017 | Boys | 14 | #6,060 |
| 2016 | Girls | 19,550 | #1 |
| 2016 | Boys | 18 | #5,124 |
| 2015 | Girls | 20,487 | #1 |
| 2015 | Boys | 10 | #7,491 |
| 2014 | Girls | 20,970 | #1 |
| 2014 | Boys | 12 | #6,632 |
When Was Emma Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
2003 · Girls
22,719 recorded births
National rank #2
2004 · Girls
21,625 recorded births
National rank #2
2012 · Girls
20,976 recorded births
National rank #2
2013 · Girls
20,973 recorded births
National rank #2
Where Emma Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| TX | #1 | 1,707 |
| NY | #1 | 774 |
| NJ | #1 | 428 |
| UT | #1 | 193 |
| DC | #1 | 36 |
| VA | #2 | 341 |
| HI | #2 | 37 |
| MA | #3 | 287 |