Emma
Girl name · #3 in 2025 · Uniqueness 37/100
Emma is currently the #3 girl name in the United States — 12,754 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 141 girls born in 2025 was named Emma.
The 145-year story
Emma first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 2,003 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2003, when 22,719 girls were named Emma — good for #2 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Emma per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Emma against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Emma in class?
Emma 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 Emma is most common
Geography matters for names, and Emma is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Emmas were TX (1,707), CA (1,641), FL (986), NY (774), IL (458). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Emma
Statistically, parents drawn to Emma tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sophia, Mia, Ava, Olivia, and Isabella.
SophiaMiaAvaOliviaIsabellaSofiaEllaAmelia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Emma | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12,754 | #3 |
| 2024 | 13,524 | #2 |
| 2023 | 13,590 | #2 |
| 2022 | 14,512 | #2 |
| 2021 | 15,549 | #2 |
| 2020 | 15,723 | #2 |
| 2019 | 17,226 | #2 |
| 2018 | 18,824 | #1 |
| 2017 | 19,873 | #1 |
| 2016 | 19,550 | #1 |
| 2015 | 20,487 | #1 |
| 2014 | 20,970 | #1 |
| 2013 | 20,973 | #2 |
| 2012 | 20,976 | #2 |
| 2011 | 18,825 | #3 |
| 2010 | 17,366 | #3 |
| 2009 | 17,910 | #2 |
| 2008 | 18,830 | #1 |
| 2007 | 18,390 | #3 |
| 2006 | 19,133 | #2 |
| 2005 | 20,362 | #2 |
| 2004 | 21,625 | #2 |
| 2003 | 22,719 | #2 |
| 2002 | 16,558 | #4 |
| 2001 | 13,327 | #13 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Emma a popular girl name?
Emma ranked #3 among girls in 2025 with 12,754 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #1.
When was the name Emma most popular?
Emma peaked in 2003, when 22,719 American girls received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 2003 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Emma?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 141 newborn American girls was named Emma. 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.