Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Emi isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1916. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Emi through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,360
- 0 boys · 4,360 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 303 babies
- 2025
- 303
- #882 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +48%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 303 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 882 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 48.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (84). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,595 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Emi’s family of names
In Japanese usage, Emi is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 恵海. In Japanese usage, Emi is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 恵美. In Japanese usage, Emi is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 瑛実.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 7
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 Emi
- Emi NakajimaJapanese association football playerborn 1990
- Emi YamamotoJapanese association football playerborn 1982
- Emi ShinoharaJapanese voice actress (1963–2024)
- Emi TakeiJapanese actress and modelborn 1993
- Emi WadaJapanese costume designer (1937–2021)
- Xiao SanChinese poet and writer (1896-1983)
- Emi InuiJapanese softball playerborn 1983
- Emi SuzukiChinese model occasional and actressborn 1985
- Emi KawabataJapanese alpine skierborn 1970
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Emi, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Emmy
“rival”
>99% girls
Demi
“a petite woman; half”
1% boys · 99% girls
Remi
“woman from the town of Rheims” · “man from the town of Rheims”
13% boys · 87% girls
Evie
“a birdlike woman” · “a birdlike man”
>99% girls
Emery
“the work ruler; the strength of home”
10% boys · 90% girls
Elodie
“a wealthy foreigner”
>99% girls
Ember
“a low-burning fire”
2% boys · 98% girls
Elowyn
>99% girls