Emile
A male given name from Latin of Latin origin, an anglicized spelling of French Émile.
Every Emile since 1880 — 9,289 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Emile
Emile is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,098 in 2025 with 70 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 9,289 American babies have been named Emile — about 93% boys and 7% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1921, when 171 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Emile stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Emile 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 | — | — | 70 | #2,098 |
| 2024 | — | — | 83 | #1,907 |
| 2023 | — | — | 66 | #2,178 |
| 2022 | — | — | 72 | #2,086 |
| 2021 | — | — | 83 | #1,857 |
| 2020 | — | — | 71 | #2,008 |
| 2019 | — | — | 65 | #2,175 |
| 2018 | 6 | #14,338 | 60 | #2,273 |
| 2017 | — | — | 66 | #2,098 |
| 2016 | — | — | 60 | #2,241 |
| 2015 | 9 | #11,185 | 55 | #2,368 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,383 | 52 | #2,438 |
| 2013 | — | — | 46 | #2,601 |
| 2012 | 7 | #13,932 | 40 | #2,918 |
| 2011 | — | — | 35 | #3,190 |
| 2010 | — | — | 32 | #3,394 |
| 2009 | 6 | #15,844 | 49 | #2,571 |
| 2008 | 10 | #11,048 | 49 | #2,555 |
| 2007 | 15 | #8,217 | 41 | #2,880 |
| 2006 | 12 | #9,479 | 34 | #3,177 |
| 2005 | 9 | #11,177 | 44 | #2,539 |
| 2004 | 14 | #7,959 | 39 | #2,713 |
| 2003 | 8 | #11,639 | 34 | #2,870 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,169 | 42 | #2,409 |
| 2001 | 12 | #8,354 | 33 | #2,826 |
| 2000 | 9 | #10,148 | 31 | #2,879 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,766 | 43 | #1,962 |
| 1990 | 10 | #8,060 | 25 | #2,645 |
| 1985 | 10 | #6,595 | 33 | #1,809 |
| 1980 | 16 | #4,578 | 35 | #1,665 |
| 1975 | 6 | #8,293 | 36 | #1,483 |
| 1970 | — | — | 57 | #1,084 |
| 1965 | — | — | 48 | #1,072 |
| 1960 | — | — | 56 | #1,024 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,114 | 57 | #995 |
| 1950 | — | — | 69 | #820 |
| 1945 | — | — | 76 | #701 |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,299 | 72 | #720 |
| 1935 | — | — | 85 | #642 |
| 1930 | — | — | 121 | #547 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,785 | 140 | #517 |
| 1920 | 11 | #2,971 | 142 | #511 |
| 1915 | 6 | #3,923 | 127 | #492 |
| 1910 | — | — | 43 | #408 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,029 | 31 | #373 |
| 1900 | — | — | 31 | #406 |
| 1895 | — | — | 21 | #431 |
| 1890 | — | — | 21 | #394 |
| 1885 | — | — | 19 | #416 |
| 1880 | — | — | 12 | #542 |
Famous people named Emile
- Emile Berliner Inventor · 1851–1929
- Emile Vandervelde Politician · 1866–1938
- Emile Griffith Boxer · 1938–2013
- Emile Claus Painter · 1849–1924
- Emile Ardolino Film director · 1943–1993
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Emile mean?
A male given name from Latin of Latin origin, an anglicized spelling of French Émile.
How popular is the name Emile in 2025?
Emile ranked #2,098 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 70 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Emile?
9,289 babies have been named Emile in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Emile most popular?
Emile peaked in 1921, when 171 newborns received the name.
Is Emile a boy or girl name?
Emile is used for both: about 7% of babies named Emile have been girls and 93% boys.
Is the name Emile rising or falling?
Emile is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Emile?
Well-known people named Emile include Emile Berliner (inventor), Emile Vandervelde (politician), Emile Griffith (boxer).