Given name & surname
Emerson
“the son of Emery”
Emerson is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “the son of Emery.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “the son of Emery.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
In English usage, Emerson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Emery.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Emerson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 67,571
- 33,521 boys · 34,050 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 3,612 babies
- 2025
- 3,612
- #122 for girls · #254 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −1%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 40% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,241 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 122 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 1.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 1,371 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (191). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 43,461 as a first name in 2020; 29,261 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Emerson’s family of names
In English usage, Emerson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Emery. Emerson has a related form in Emersun. In English usage, Emerson has a related form in EMMERSON.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Emerson
- Emerson FittipaldiBrazilian racing driver (born 1946)
- Emerson PalmieriItalian-Brazilian association football playerborn 1994
- Emerson RoyalBrazilian association football playerborn 1999
- Emerson ThomeBrazilian association football playerborn 1972
- Emerson Spencerathletics competitor (1906–1985)
- Emerson PaulistaBrazilian association football playerborn 1980
- Emerson HyndmanAmerican soccer playerborn 1996
- Emerson Orlando de MeloBrazilian association football playerborn 1973
- EmersonBrazilian footballerborn 1972
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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