Emily

Once upon a time, around 300 years ago, the throne of Hanover came to England. Hanoverian princess Amelia Sophia Eleanor brought along her nickname. 

Emily, despite having separate origins, often anglicized Amelia in her early days of consistent usage. Her root form, the Roman Aemilia, even looks like Amelia in structure. While Amelia comes from the Germanic Amalia, meaning "work," Aemilia, as with many Roman girls' names ending in "a," is a feminization of Aemilius, meaning either "rival" or "persuasive."  

Emily, alongside Latinate Emilia, saw occasional use in England during the two centuries before Hanover's 1700s arrival. Her usage only increased over time; Emily spent the entire Victorian era in the top 20, ranking in the top 10 during 1870 and 1880. She then declined, leaving the top 100 by 1934.

In the United States, Emily first ranked in the top 100 most years between 1880 and 1917, moving in and out throughout her last several years. After falling to her low point at #273 in 1962, Emily began her ascent towards the top. She reentered the top 100 in 1973 and ranked within the top 10 between 1991 and 2016, reigning as the #1 name from 1996 to 2007. 

Emily regained popularity in England around the same time as in the United States. She also joined the English top 10 from 1996 to 2018, serving as the #1 name there in 2003 and 2004.

Not only is Emily popular elsewhere in the English-speaking world, but she experiences usage in several foreign languages, including Austrian, Belgian, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, and Swiss. Even non-European nations such as Brazil and Mexico are using the name. 

Emily's international usage, consistent run in the top 300, and rich heritage of namesakes from poet Dickinson to actor Blunt qualify her as a true timeless classic, a sister for Anna and Elizabeth. 

Emily may decline in usage, but she remains popular for her timeless historical charm. Parents in search of fresher names have since turned to Emma and Amelia as alternatives. With these two names also being popular, the search only continues. 

POPULARITY LEVEL: Top 20

FAMOUS REAL-LIFE NAMESAKES:

• British author Emily Brontë (1818-1848)
• British-American physician Emily Blackwell (1826-1910)
• American Poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
• American writer Emily Post (1872-1960)
• British actor Emily Watson (1967-)
• American actor Emily Deschanel (1976-)
• British actor Emily Blunt (1983-)

FAMOUS FICTIONAL NAMESAKES:

• Clifford's owner Emily Elizabeth in Clifford the Big Red Dog books and media

VARIANTS: Emilee, Emilia, Emilie

NICKNAMES: Emmy

SISTERS: Abigail, Claire, Elizabeth, Grace, Hannah, Julia, Lucy, Maria, Rachel, Sarah

BROTHERS: Anthony, David, Gabriel, Isaac, James, Matthew, Nathan, Seth, Thomas, William

ALTERNATIVES: Amity, Camille, Cecily, Charity, Elise, Ellen, Emmeline, Miriam, Rosemary, Simone

NAME LISTS: Timeless Girls' Names

FURTHER RESOURCES:

"Emily." Names, Behind the Name, 14 Dec. 2019, https://www.behindthename.com/name/emily.

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Emily." Names of the Week, British Baby Names, 30 Aug. 2014, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2014/08/emily.html. 

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