Ema
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.
Meaning & Origin of Ema
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
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.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ema
Ema first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1883, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2011, when 161 Emas were born — ranking #1,415 that year. As of 2026, Ema ranks #1,490 for baby girls with 146 births, gradually rising (+12%). In total, more than 5K Emas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Ema
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- 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
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Ema
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ema is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ema
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About the name Ema
Ema is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1883 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Ema's peak popularity came in 2011 when it ranked #692. Use the chart and map above to compare Ema's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2011 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.