Emma is a feminine given name. It is derived from the Germanic word ''ermen'', meaning "whole" or "universal". It likely originated as a short form of names such as '' Ermengarde'' or '' Ermentrude''. The first woman bearing the name to appear in written sources is Emma of Austrasia, the Frankish wife of Eadbald of Kent. Its popularity in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

increased because it was the name of Emma of Normandy, mother of

Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was King of England from 1042 until his death in 1066. He was the last reigning monarch of the House of Wessex. Edward was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy. He succeede ...

. '' Emmeline'' is a Norman variant of that was introduced to England by the Norman invaders in the 11th century. The name is etymologically unrelated to '' Amalia'', '' Amelia'', '' Emilia'', and '' Emily'', but all these names have been associated with each other due to their similarity in appearance and sound. ''Emma'' has been used as a short form of some of these names, and it shares diminutives such as ''Em'' or ''Emmy'' with them.

Popularity

It became popular in the United States late in the 20th century, reaching the top 100 names for girls in the late 1990s. It has been among the top five names given to girls since 2002, and was the most popular name for girls in 2008 and from 2014 to 2018. In England and Wales it was number 14 in 1996 but has dropped in popularity since (number 61 in 2021). In Canada, it was the second most popular name given to girls in 2022.

Notable people

* Emma, Lady Hamilton (1765–1815), English artist's model and performer * Emma, Lady Radford (died 1937), English antiquarian and public servant * Emma of Anjou (c. 1140 – c. 1214), Welsh royalty and half-sister of King Henry II of England * Emma of Austrasia (fl. early seventh century), Frankish royalty * Emma of Blois (c. 950–1003), Duchess consort of Aquitaine * Emma of France (died 935), Queen of Western Francia and military leader * Emma of Hawaii (1836–1885), queen to King Kamehameha IV from 1856 to his death in 1863 * Emma of Italy (fl. 948-987), Queen of Western Francia * Emma of Lesum (c. 975–1038), saint and first female inhabitant of Bremen to be known by name *

Emma of Mělník Emma (Hemma) (bef. 950 – 1005/06) was a Bohemian duchess consort as the second wife of Boleslaus II of Bohemia. Her origins are uncertain. Historian Gelasius Dobner (1719–90) thought she was a princess of Kingdom of Burgundy, Burgundy, a ...

(b. before 950, d. 1005/1006), wife of Boleslav II of Bohemia and Bohemian duchess * Queen Emma of the Netherlands (1858–1934), Queen of the Netherlands and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg * Emma of Normandy (c. 985–1052), twice Queen consort of the Kingdom of England * Emma of Paris (943–968) * Emma Adbåge (born 1982), Swedish illustrator and children's writer * Emma Adler (1858–1935), Austrian journalist and writer * Emma Ahuena Taylor (1867–1937), part-Native Hawaiian high chiefess * Emma Albani (1847–1930), Canadian operatic soprano * Emma Anderson (born 1967), English musician * Emma Anderson (professor), Canadian professor * Emma Andersson (born 1979), Swedish television personality and singer * Emma Andijewska (born 1931), modern Ukrainian poet, writer and painter * Emma Ania (born 1980), former track and field sprint athlete * Emma Ankudey (born 1943), Ghanaian former amateur boxer * Emma Anzai, bassist of Australian band Sick Puppies * Emma B. Alrich (1845–1925), American journalist, author, educator * Emma Appleton (born 1991), English actress and model * Emma Asp (born 1987), Swedish football defender * Emma Asson (1889–1965), Estonian politician * Emma Atkins (born 1975), English actress * Emma B (born 1970), English radio presenter * Emma Whitcomb Babcock (1849–1926), American litterateur, author * Emma Baeri (born 1942), Sicilian feminist historian and essayist * Emma Bailey (1910–1999), American auctioneer and author * Emma Baker (journalist), television journalist and presenter employed by ITV Channel * Emma Bale (born 1999), Belgian singer * Emma Dunning Banks (1856-1931), American actress, dramatic reader, teacher, and writer * Emma Bardac (1862–1934), French singer * Emma Barnett (born 1985), British broadcaster and journalist * Emma Baron (1904–1986), Italian stage and film actress * Emma Barrandeguy (1914–2006), Argentine writer, journalist, poet, storyteller and playwright * Emma Barrie (born 2002), Scottish netball player * Emma Barton (born 1977), English actress * Emma Bartoniek (1894–1957), Hungarian historian and bibliographer * Emma Bates (born 1992), runner * Emma Pow Bauder (1848-1932), American evangelist and author * Emma Beckett (footballer) (born 1987), Irish football midfielder * Emma Bell (born 1986), American actress * Emma Lee Benedict (1857-1937), American editor, educator, author * Emma Bengtsson, Swedish chef * Emma Bonino (born 1948), Italian politician and human rights activist * Emma Scarr Booth (1835–1927), British-born American novelist, poet * Emma Bourne (1846-1924), American temperance activist and social reformer * Emma Eliza Bower (1852–1937), American physician, club-woman, and newspaper owner, publisher, editor * Emma Southwick Brinton (1834–1922), American Civil War nurse, traveller, correspondent * Emma Elizabeth Brown (1847–?), American writer, artist * Emma Alice Browne (1835-1890), American poet * Emma Bull (born 1954), American science fiction and fantasy author * Emma Bunton (born 1976), English singer, the

Spice Girls The Spice Girls are an English girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Mel B ("Scary Spice"), Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"), Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"), Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"), and Victoria Beckham ("Posh Spice"). They have sold over 10 ...

* Emma Mieko Candon, American novelist * Emma Cannon (born 1989), American basketball player for the Israeli team Elitzur Ramla *

Emma Caulfield Emma Caulfield Ford (born April 8, 1973) is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as former demon Anya Jenkins on the supernatural drama television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1998–2003), which earned her a no ...

(born 1973), American actress * Emma Chamberlain (born 2001), American internet personality * Emma Chambers (1964-2018), British actress * Emma Checker (born 1996), Australian footballer * Emma Churchill (1862–1957), founder of

The Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...

in Newfoundland * Emma Coates (born 1991), English football player and manager * Emma Shaw Colcleugh (1846–1940), American journalist, lecturer, traveler, collector * Emma Comer, Australian politician * Emma Constable (born 1975), English badminton player * Emma Corrin (born 1995), English actress * Emma Amelia Cranmer (1858–1937), American reformer, suffragist, writer * Emma G. Cummings (1856–1940), American horticulturalist and ornithologist * Emma D'Arcy (born 1992), English actor * Emma Darwin (1808–1896), wife of

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...

* Emma de Cartosio (1928–2013), Argentine writer * Emma de la Barra (1861-1947), Argentine writer * Emma Beard Delaney (1871–1922), Baptist missionary and teacher * Emma Lucy Dickson (1854–1926), Canadian writer who published one novel using the name Stanford Eleveth * Emma Didlake (1905–2015), oldest U.S. veteran * Emma Doran (fl. 2010's), Irish comedian and podcaster * Emma Dumont (born 1994), American actress and model * Emma Bedelia Dunham (1826–1910), American poet, teacher * Emma Ellingsen (born 2001), Norwegian model * Emma Catherine Embury (1806–1863), American author, poet * Emma Engdahl-Jägerskiöld (1852–1930), Finnish opera singer * Emma Pike Ewing (1838–1917), American educator, author * Emma Ferguson (born 1975), English actress, '' Mile High'' * Emma Forsayth (born 1850), Samoan businesswoman and plantation owner * Emma B. Freeman (1880–1928), American photographer * Emma Freud (born 1962), English broadcaster * Emma Sheridan Fry (1864–1936), American actress, playwright, teacher * Emma Fürstenhoff (1802–1871), Swedish florist * Emma Sophia Galton (1811–1904), British finance guide author *

Emma Gatewood Emma Rowena Gatewood ( Caldwell; October 25, 1887June 4, 1973), better known as Grandma Gatewood, was an American Ultralight backpacking, ultra-light hiking pioneer. After a difficult life as a farm wife, mother of eleven children, and ...

(1887–1973), American hiker * Emma George (born 1974), Australian pole vaulter * Emma Gilchrist, Canadian journalist *

Emma Goldman Emma Goldman (June 27, 1869 – May 14, 1940) was a Russian-born Anarchism, anarchist revolutionary, political activist, and writer. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europ ...

(1869–1940), Lithuania-born anarchist, writer and orator * X González (born 1999), born Emma, American activist and advocate for

gun control Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms and ammunition by civilians. Most countries allow civilians to own firearms, bu ...

* Emma Graf (1865–1926), Swiss historian, teacher, suffragist * Emma Grant (footballer) (born 1989), Australian footballer * Emma Grede (born 1982), British businesswoman * Emma Green (athlete) (born 1984), Swedish athlete * Emma Green (nurse) (1843–1929), 19th century southern belle * Emma Jane Greenland (1760–1843), English painter, writer, singer * Emma Azalia Hackley (1867–1922), African-American singer and political activist * Emma Stark Hampton (1843-1925), American organizational leader * Emma Heming (born 1978), English actress * Emma Churchman Hewitt (1850–1921), American writer, journalist * Emma Hippolyte, Saint Lucian politician * Emma Hope (born 1962), British shoe designer * Emma Hult (born 1988), Swedish politician * Emma Hwang (born 1971), Taiwanese-American scientist and aquanaut * Emma Jung (1882–1955), Swiss psychologist and writer * Emma Keenan (born 1997), Canadian ice hockey player * Emma V. Kelley (1867–1932), African-American educator and community organizer. * Emma Kennedy (born 1967), English actress * Emma Smith Kennedy (1869-1960), American writer and granddaughter of Joseph Smith, Jr * Emma Kickapoo (1880-1942), artists' model * Emma Kirchner (1830–1909) German photographer who lived and worked in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. * Emma Kok (born 2008), Dutch singer * Emma Lahana (born 1984), New Zealand actress and singer * Emma Lai (born 1988), Hong Kong cricketer * Emma Laine (born 1986), Finnish tennis player * Emma Laird, British actress * Emma Lamb (born 1997), English cricketeer * Emma Lazarus (1849–1887), American poet * Emma Augusta Lehman (1841–1922), American teacher, poet, naturalist and botanical collector * Emma Lewell (born 1978), British politician * * Emma Logan, known as October (born 1997), New Zealand singer and model * Emma Mackey (born 1996), French-British actress * Emma Mäkelin (1874–1962), Finnish midwife and politician * Emma Malabuyo (born 2002), American gymnast * Emma Malewski (born 2004), German gymnast * Emma B. Mandl (1842–1928), Bohemian-born American social reformer, clubwoman, and community leader * Emma Marrone (born 1984), Italian pop singer * Emma Mason (born 1986), Scottish badminton player * Emma Masterson (born 1977), Thai actress, model, and television presenter * Emma Camp Mead (1866-1934), hotelkeeper and herbalist *

Emma Meesseman Emma Meesseman (born 13 May 1993) is a Belgian professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe S.K. (women's basketball), Fenerbahçe of the Women's Basketball Super League and EuroLeague Women. After playing basketball in Belgium, Meesseman was ...

(born 1993), Belgian basketball player * Emma Meyer (1859-1921), Danish painter * Emma Miyazawa (born 1988), Japanese actress * Emma Barrett Molloy (1839–1907), American journalist, lecturer, and activist * Emma Morano, (1899–2017) Italian supercentenarian * Emma Myers (born 2002), American actress * Emma Huntington Nason (1845–1921), American poet, author, and musical composer * Emma Navarro (born 2001), American tennis player * Emma Neale (born 1969), New Zealand novelist and poet * Emma Norton, a British lawyer specialising in soldier's rights * Emma Aline Osgood (1849–1911), American soprano * Emma Pérez Ferreira (1925–2005), Argentine physicist * Emma Preuschl (born 1984), American rower * Emma Raducanu (born 2002), British tennis player * Emma May Alexander Reinertsen (1853–1920), American writer, social reformer * Emma Reyes (1919–2003), Colombian painter and writer * Emma Ann Reynolds (1862–1917), African-American teacher * Emma Richter (1888–1956), German paleontologist * Emma Rigby (born 1989), English actress *

Emma Roberts Emma Rose Roberts (born February 10, 1991) Additional on October 9, 2016 is an American actress, singer and producer. Known for her performances spanning multiple genres of film and television, her work in the horror film, horror and thriller ...

, British aristocrat *

(born 1991), American actress and singer * Emma Rochlin (born 1978), Scottish field hockey player * Emma Winner Rogers (1855-1922), American writer, speaker, suffragist * Emma Ruth Rundle (born 1983), American musician * Emma Sachse (1887–1965), German activist for feminist and other political causes * Emma Salokoski (born 1976), Finnish singer-songwriter * Emma Samms (born 1960), English actress * Emma Sandys (1842–1877), English painter * Emma Clara Schweer (1896-2001), American politician * Emma Shapplin (born 1974), French soprano * Emma Augusta Sharkey (1858–1902), American writer, journalist, dime novelist, story-teller * Emma L. Shaw (1840–1924), American magazine editor * Emma Sidi (born 1991), English actress, comedian and writer * Emma Sinclair, British businesswoman *

Emma Slater Emma Slater (born 25 December 1988) is a British-American professional dancer and choreographer. She is known for her appearances on ''Dancing with the Stars (U.S. TV series), Dancing with the Stars''. Early life Slater was raised in Tamworth ...

(born 1988), British ballroom dancer * Emma Smith (1804-1879), American religious leader and wife of Joseph Smith Jr. * Emma Smith (artist) (1783–1853), English artist *

Emma Smith (author) Emma Smith (21 August 1923 – 24 April 2018) was an English novelist, who also wrote for children and published two volumes of autobiography. She gave encouragement to Laurie Lee while he was writing his bestselling memoir of his childhood, ''C ...

(1923–2018), English novelist * Emma Smith (gymnast) (born 1991), British trampoline gymnast * Emma Elizabeth Smith (c. 1843–1888), prostitute and murder victim in London * Emma Smith (scholar) (born 1970), lecturer in English at the University of Oxford * Emma Waldo Smith Marshall (1879–1943), American Baptist missionary * Emma Snowsill (born 1981), Australian triathlete * Emma Solá de Solá (1894–1984), Argentine writer and poet * Emma Stone (born Emily Jean Stone in 1988), American actress * Emma Sulkowicz (born 1992), American performance artist and activist * Emma Swift (born 1981), Australian singer-songwriter * Emma Taylor-Isherwood (born 1987), Canadian actress, Angel in '' Kuu Kuu Harajuku'' *

Emma Tennant Emma Christina Tennant FRSL (20 October 1937 – 21 January 2017) was an English novelist and editor of Scottish extraction, known for a post-modern approach to her fiction, often imbued with fantasy or magic. Several of her novels give a femi ...

(1937–2017), British novelist *

Emma Thomas Dame Emma Thomas, Lady Nolan (born 9 December 1971) is a British-American film producer. She has produced all of the feature films directed by her husband Christopher Nolan, which have grossed more than $6 billion worldwide and are regarded a ...

(born 1971), British film producer * Emma Thomas (Quaker) (1872–1960), English schoolteacher * Emma Thomas (rugby union) (born 1958), New Zealand rugby union player *

Emma Thompson Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress and screenwriter. Emma Thompson on screen and stage, Her work spans over four decades of screen and stage, and List of awards and nominations received by Emma Thompson, her accola ...

(born 1959), British actress, comedian and screenwriter * Emma Tiglao (born 1994), Filipino actress, news anchor, model and beauty pageant titleholder * Emma Thynn, Viscountess Weymouth (born 1986), English socialite * Emma Rood Tuttle (1839-1916), American writer, poet * Emma Walker (2000-2016), American murder victim * Emma Wallrup (born 1971), Swedish politician * Emma Watkins (born 1989), Australian children's entertainer,

The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. As of 2022, the group members are Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce, Tsehay Hawkins, Evie Ferris, John Pearce (entertainer), John Pearce, Caterina Mete ...

* Emma Watson (born 1990), British actress * Emma Willard (1787–1870), women's education rights activist * Emma Willis (born 1976), British TV presenter and former model, presenter of '' Big Brother'' * Emma Heming Willis (born 1978), British-American model * Emma Willis (gymnast) (born 1992), Canadian artistic gymnast * Emma Woikin (1920–1974), Canadian spy for the Soviet Union * Emma Wolf (1865–1932), American litterateur and novelist * Emma Yong (1975–2012), Singaporean actress and singer * Emma Zimmer (1888–1948), overseer at the Ravensbrück concentration camp executed for war crimes

Characters

* Emma in " Henry and Emma", a 1709 poem by Matthew Prior, which has been credited for first popularising the name. * Emma, the main character in '' Emma: A Victorian Romance'' * Emma, character in '' Lego Friends'' * Emma (''The Promised Neverland''), a main character in ''The Promised Neverland'' * Emma, contestant on '' The Ridonculous Race'' * Emma, contestant on '' Total Drama Island'' * Emma, a non-playable Mii opponent in the '' Wii'' series * Emma Allan, main character in '' Bride Wars'', played by

Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. List of awards and nominations received by Anne Hathaway, Her accolades include an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime ...

* Emma Bloom, a character in '' Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'' with the ability of generating fire from her hands * Emma Brooker, a character from the British soap opera ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

'' * Emma Carstairs, a character and protagonist in Cassandra Clare's '' The Shadowhunter Chronicles'' and heroine in '' The Dark Artifices'' * Emma Chase, Magnus Chase's cousin in '' Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard'' * Emma Corrigan, in ''Can You Keep a Secret?'' * Emma Frost in

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

* Aunt Emma "Em" Gale, Dorothy's aunt in '' The Wizard of Oz'' * Emma Gerber, in '' Mean Girls'' * Emma Geller-Green, daughter of Rachel Green and

Ross Geller Ross Eustace Geller (born 1968) portrayed by David Schwimmer, is one of the List of Friends and Joey characters, six main characters of the NBC sitcom ''Friends''. Ross is considered by many to be the most intelligent member of the group and is ...

on ''

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane (producer), David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting List of Friends episodes, ten seasons. With an ensemble cast ...

'' * Emma Gilbert, a main character in Australian TV show '' H2O: Just Add Water'' * Emma Goodall, the Megaforce Pink Ranger in '' Power Rangers Megaforce'' * Emma Grange, in ''Emma's war'', played by

Miranda Otto Miranda Otto (born 16 December 1967) is an Australian actress. She is the daughter of actors Barry Otto, Barry and Lindsay Otto and the paternal half-sister of actress Gracie Otto. Otto began her acting career in 1986 at age 18 and appeared in a ...

* Emma Greenway, in ''Terms of Endearment'' * Emma Doqueza de Jesus-Fuentabella, a character from the Philippine drama series '' Ika-6 na Utos'' * Emma Keane (''Ackley Bridge''), a teacher on ''Ackley Bridge'' * Emma Lawton, a character in Karen McManus's '' One of Us Is Next'' * Emma Meyer, fictional character in '' The Boys'' '' (franchise)'' * Emma Nelson (Degrassi: The Next Generation), the staple character in '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' * Emma Paley, a character in the comic series ''Peter Parker'' * Emma Peel, fictional television spy played by

Diana Rigg Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg (20 July 1938 – 10 September 2020) was an English actress of stage and screen. Her roles include Emma Peel in the TV series ''The Avengers (TV series), The Avengers'' (1965–1968); Countess Tracy Bond, Teresa di ...

in the British 1960s adventure series '' The Avengers'' * Emma Pillsbury in ''

Glee Glee may refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 3000 album) * ''Glee'' (Logan Lynn album) * Gle ...

'' * Emma Reid in '' Doctors'' * Emma Sheen, Gundam pilot from the AEUG group in the anime series '' Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam'' * Emma Swan, protagonist of the television series ''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...

'' * Dr. Emma Temple, in ''The Ring 2'' * Emma Verde, a character in the media project Nijigasaki High School Idol Club * Emma Woodhouse, the title character of

Jane Austen Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...

's '' Emma'' * " Emma Zunz" in the eponymous short story by

Jorge Luis Borges Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo ( ; ; 24 August 1899 – 14 June 1986) was an Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator regarded as a key figure in Spanish literature, Spanish-language and international literatur ...

* Emma Ross, one of the main characters from the

Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...

series, ''Jessie'' and '' Bunk'd''. *Emma Perkins, a main protagonist played by Lauren Lopez in The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals by '' Team StarKid''.

References

Popularity

Notable people

Characters

See also

References