Emerson
Girl name · #122 in 2025 · Uniqueness 37/100
In 2025, 2,241 baby girls were named Emerson, placing it at #122 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #180, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 803 girls born in 2025 was named Emerson.
Babies named Emerson per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 32-year story
Emerson first appears in the Social Security records in 1993, when 11 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 2,241 babies and a rank of #122. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Emerson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Emerson in class?
Emerson scores 37 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Emerson is most common
Geography matters for names, and Emerson is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Emersons were TX (191), NC (122), CA (113), GA (112), OH (106). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Emerson
Statistically, parents drawn to Emerson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Emersyn, Elliana, Raelynn, Addison, and Eden.
EmersynEllianaRaelynnAddisonEdenEvelynnLeightonEliza
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Emerson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,241 | #122 |
| 2024 | 1,971 | #151 |
| 2023 | 1,774 | #161 |
| 2022 | 1,724 | #169 |
| 2021 | 1,743 | #168 |
| 2020 | 1,793 | #155 |
| 2019 | 1,865 | #152 |
| 2018 | 1,948 | #143 |
| 2017 | 1,978 | #150 |
| 2016 | 1,962 | #161 |
| 2015 | 1,798 | #180 |
| 2014 | 1,683 | #196 |
| 2013 | 1,525 | #211 |
| 2012 | 1,313 | #245 |
| 2011 | 1,151 | #275 |
| 2010 | 1,010 | #316 |
| 2009 | 1,017 | #323 |
| 2008 | 1,165 | #290 |
| 2007 | 1,080 | #312 |
| 2006 | 1,069 | #307 |
| 2005 | 683 | #443 |
| 2004 | 268 | #903 |
| 2003 | 324 | #764 |
| 2002 | 280 | #832 |
| 2001 | 183 | #1141 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Emerson a popular girl name?
Emerson ranked #122 among girls in 2025 with 2,241 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #180.
When was the name Emerson most popular?
Emerson peaked in 2025, when 2,241 American girls received the name (ranked #122 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Emerson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 803 newborn American girls was named Emerson. It scores 37/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.