boy's name
Emil
- Origin Latin
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 36,469
Northern Ireland
#472
2014 births
Emil is a boy's name with 2 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 155 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Emil is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in 1917, when 1,012 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 21,389 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Emil 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 | 1,434 |
| 1890s | 1,443 |
| 1900s | 1,319 |
| 1910s | 6,735 |
| 1920s | 7,238 |
| 1930s | 3,540 |
| 1940s | 2,498 |
| 1950s | 1,861 |
| 1960s | 1,271 |
| 1970s | 963 |
| 1980s | 810 |
| 1990s | 837 |
| 2000s | 1,047 |
| 2010s | 1,241 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 993 |
How popular is Emil?
In 2025, Emil was given to 155 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Emil 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.
How Emil is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Émil | Émil is a rare spelling of Emil, written with an acute accent and recorded about 55 times, mostly in France. | 55 |
Names that peaked alongside Emil
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Emil also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Emil over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Emil 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.
- Dutch
- Emiel
Sibling names for Emil
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Emil — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Emil
How popular is the name Emil?
In 2025, Emil was given to 155 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Emil a girl's or a boy's name?
Emil is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Emil?
Emil has 2 syllables.
When was Emil most popular?
Emil peaked in 1917, when 1,012 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Emil a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Emil currently ranks #499 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.