Emily
Emily is a popular choice in the UK, ranked #44 in 2025. There's a good chance they'll share their name with at least one classmate throughout school.
Latin — Rival, eager; from the Roman Aemilius family
About the Name Emily
Emily ranked #44 in 2025, down from its peak of #1 in 2003 — still a familiar name, but past its high point. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 30 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
In terms of origin, Emily is rooted in Latin, where it means "Rival, eager; from the Roman Aemilius family". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Emily is a very popular name in the UK — yet a class of 28 is small enough that your child will very likely be the only Emily on the register.
It ranks similarly in the US at #34, suggesting broad transatlantic appeal.
⭐ Famous People Named Emily
- Emily Deschanel — Emily Erin Deschanel is an American actress.
- Emily Rutherfurd — Emily Kernan Rutherfurd is an American actress.
- Emily Murphy — Emily Murphy was a Canadian women's rights activist and author.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Emily
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Emily
Almost certainly the only Emily in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Emily
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Famous People Named Emily
Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia