Emma
Every Emma since 1880 — 778,172 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Emma
Emma is a top-10 name for girls in the United States, ranked #3 in 2025 with 12,754 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 778,172 American babies have been named Emma. Its peak came in 2003, when 22,756 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Emma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Emma 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 | 12,754 | #3 | 14 | #6,222 |
| 2024 | 13,524 | #2 | 17 | #5,503 |
| 2023 | 13,590 | #2 | 17 | #5,525 |
| 2022 | 14,512 | #2 | 15 | #5,952 |
| 2021 | 15,549 | #2 | 14 | #6,117 |
| 2020 | 15,723 | #2 | 19 | #4,910 |
| 2019 | 17,226 | #2 | 11 | #7,305 |
| 2018 | 18,824 | #1 | 9 | #8,359 |
| 2017 | 19,873 | #1 | 14 | #6,129 |
| 2016 | 19,550 | #1 | 18 | #5,189 |
| 2015 | 20,487 | #1 | 10 | #7,653 |
| 2014 | 20,970 | #1 | 12 | #6,759 |
| 2013 | 20,973 | #2 | 18 | #5,035 |
| 2012 | 20,976 | #2 | 20 | #4,747 |
| 2011 | 18,825 | #3 | 33 | #3,325 |
| 2010 | 17,366 | #3 | 17 | #5,322 |
| 2009 | 17,910 | #2 | 20 | #4,803 |
| 2008 | 18,830 | #1 | 15 | #5,855 |
| 2007 | 18,390 | #3 | 21 | #4,540 |
| 2006 | 19,133 | #2 | 22 | #4,268 |
| 2005 | 20,362 | #2 | 36 | #2,915 |
| 2004 | 21,625 | #2 | 102 | #1,396 |
| 2003 | 22,719 | #2 | 37 | #2,691 |
| 2002 | 16,558 | #4 | 15 | #4,980 |
| 2001 | 13,327 | #13 | 14 | #5,212 |
| 2000 | 12,560 | #17 | 15 | #4,863 |
| 1995 | 5,050 | #67 | 5 | #9,283 |
| 1990 | 2,420 | #130 | 9 | #5,511 |
| 1985 | 947 | #263 | — | — |
| 1980 | 530 | #417 | — | — |
| 1975 | 477 | #422 | — | — |
| 1970 | 529 | #421 | — | — |
| 1965 | 640 | #359 | — | — |
| 1960 | 976 | #297 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,460 | #211 | 5 | #4,026 |
| 1950 | 1,896 | #154 | 5 | #3,842 |
| 1945 | 2,052 | #123 | 6 | #3,105 |
| 1940 | 2,606 | #94 | 22 | #1,445 |
| 1935 | 2,802 | #89 | 20 | #1,556 |
| 1930 | 3,555 | #73 | 22 | #1,575 |
| 1925 | 4,714 | #57 | 19 | #1,829 |
| 1920 | 5,238 | #46 | 10 | #2,830 |
| 1915 | 5,044 | #40 | 24 | #1,383 |
| 1910 | 2,607 | #34 | 17 | #738 |
| 1905 | 2,298 | #26 | 6 | #1,137 |
| 1900 | 3,095 | #13 | 21 | #519 |
| 1895 | 2,952 | #10 | 12 | #616 |
| 1890 | 2,980 | #5 | 16 | #466 |
| 1885 | 2,728 | #3 | 14 | #509 |
| 1880 | 2,003 | #3 | 10 | #613 |
Famous people named Emma
- Emma Goldman Social activist · 1869–1940
- Emma Thompson Actor · b. 1959
- Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont Companion · 1858–1934
- Emma Morano Religious figure · 1899–2017
- Emma of Normandy Companion · 985–1052
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Emma in 2025?
Emma ranked #3 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 12,754 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Emma?
778,172 babies have been named Emma in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Emma most popular?
Emma peaked in 2003, when 22,756 newborns received the name.
Is Emma a boy or girl name?
Emma is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Emma rising or falling?
Emma is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Emma?
Well-known people named Emma include Emma Goldman (social activist), Emma Thompson (actor), Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont (companion).