unisex name
Emerson
EM-er-sun
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 74,057
the United States
#122
2025 births
Emerson is a name of English origin meaning "son of Emery." Emery descends from the Germanic Emmerich, combining an element meaning work or power with ric, meaning ruler — which is where the various glosses of brave and industrious come from.
- Emerson is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 3,612 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 918 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Emerson over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 185 |
| 1890s | 194 |
| 1900s | 321 |
| 1910s | 1,751 |
| 1920s | 2,139 |
| 1930s | 1,238 |
| 1940s | 1,092 |
| 1950s | 946 |
| 1960s | 759 |
| 1970s | 680 |
| 1980s | 858 |
| 1990s | 1,683 |
| 2000s | 9,971 |
| 2010s | 26,816 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 18,938 |
What Emerson means
Emerson means son of Emery, and Emery combines a Germanic element with ric, ruler. Reference sources give brave, powerful and industrious because they disagree about which first element Emery contains, not about the second.
Where Emerson comes from
Emerson is an English patronymic surname from Emery, itself from the Germanic Emmerich. The second element ric means ruler or power; the first is variously identified as amal, work, or ermen, whole and universal — hence the range of meanings on offer. The surname's best-known bearer is Ralph Waldo Emerson, the nineteenth-century American essayist. Its move to a given name is modern, and unusually the respelled Emersyn is given almost entirely to girls while Emerson remains largely masculine — the spelling change carried a gender shift with it.
Emerson in use
Emerson stays largely masculine while its respelling Emersyn is given almost entirely to girls.
How popular is Emerson?
In 2025, Emerson was given to 3,612 babies in the United States, ranking #122 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Emerson is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Emerson
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Emerson also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Emerson over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Emerson
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Emerson in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Emerson
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Emerson — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Emerson
What does the name Emerson mean?
Emerson means "son of Emery," from Germanic elements meaning work or power and ruler.
Is Emerson a boy's or a girl's name?
Both, though Emerson leans masculine while the respelling Emersyn is given almost entirely to girls.
Why do sources give Emerson different meanings?
Because they disagree about which Germanic element lies behind Emery.
How popular is the name Emerson?
In 2025, Emerson was given to 3,612 babies in the United States, ranking #122 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
How many syllables are in Emerson?
Emerson has 3 syllables.
When was Emerson most popular?
Emerson peaked in 2025, when 3,612 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Emerson?
Emerson is usually shortened to Emmy and Emery.
Is Emerson a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Emerson currently ranks #122 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.