Emma
Meaning
Its source is Irmen, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Universal."
Languages used in
This girl's name is used in German, Dutch, English, Italian, French, Spanish and Polish.
Background story
Commentators are divided on dating the introduction of Emma to Britain. This may be due to its nickname relationship to Germanic names (Irmentrude, Irmengarde and others) that were in use among the Anglo-Saxons and also were ancestors to Norman French names brought to the island by the Conquest of 1066.
Emma has been widely used in fiction. In Gustav Flaubert's 1857 novel Madame Bovary, a title character named Emma follows a path of romantic irresponsibility to a pointless death. Television screens sizzled to the adventures of Emma Peel, played by Diana Rigg, in the 1960s British series The Avengers. And Jane Austen's humorous 1816 drawing-room romance Emma has seen several recent television and film incarnations.
Find similar names to Emma
Statistics for the name Emma (female)
- In USA in 2006, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 2 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In USA in 2005, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 2 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In USA in 2004, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 2 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In USA in 2003, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 2 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In USA in 2002, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 4 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 2005, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 4 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 2004, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 2 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 2003, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 1 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 2002, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 2 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 2001, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 1 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 2000, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 5 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 1999, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 1 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 1998, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 1 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 1997, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 2 on the most popular name for newborn babies
- In Denmark in 1996, the girl name Emma was ranked as number 3 on the most popular name for newborn babies