Given name
Emmy
“rival”
In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emily. The Roman family name behind Emily is probably connected with the Latin word for “rival,” although that derivation is uncertain. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emma. Emma’s shared Germanic element carries the sense “entire” or “whole.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emily. The Roman family name behind Emily is probably connected with the Latin word for “rival,” although that derivation is uncertain. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emma. Emma’s shared Germanic element carries the sense “entire” or “whole.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Amelia. Amelia is an English name with a proposed blended origin, joining Emilia with the Latinized Germanic name Amalia. That account remains a hypothesis rather than a settled single-language derivation. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emily. Emily is an English development of the Latin feminine name Aemilia. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emma. Emma has Germanic roots and a long association with Norman naming traditions in Britain. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emmeline. An origin associated with Emmeline is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Emmy is used as an affectionate form of Emma. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Amelia. The shared background comes through Amelia: One explanation treats Amelia as a cross between Emilia and Amalia. The resemblance to both names is part of the proposal, but the precise stages by which the spelling developed remain uncertain. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emily. The shared background comes through Emily: Aemilia is the feminine form of Aemilius. Emily developed through a medieval version of that name; the proposed root is aemulus, “rival.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1885. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Amelia. The history of Amelia gives this family its wider story. Henry Fielding used Amelia for the heroine and title of his 1751 novel, giving the name a clear eighteenth-century literary association. Amelia’s earlier development is less certain. In English use, Emmy is a diminutive of Emily. The history of Emily gives this family its wider story. Emily was relatively uncommon in the Middle Ages and was revived in the nineteenth century. At that time, Emilia and the separately rooted Amelia were often confused, helping explain their overlapping naming histories.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Emmy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 12,963
- 0 boys · 12,963 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 695 babies
- 2025
- 695
- #445 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +14%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 695 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 445 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 14.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (93). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,880 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.
Emmy’s family of names
In English usage, Emmy is a diminutive of Emily. Emmy has a related form in Emma. In English usage, Emmy is a diminutive of Emma.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Emmy has relatives in 5 languages.
10 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Emmafull form · Swedish, German
- Ameliafull form · English
- Emilyfull form · English
- Emiliafull form · Swedish
- Emmievariant · English
- Emmelinefull form · English
- Emiliefull form · German, Danish
- Emmivariant · German
Show 2 moreShow fewer
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.
See also 4
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Emmy
- Emmy GöringGerman actress, art collector (1893-1973)
- EmmyArmenian singerborn 1984
- EmmyNorwegian singer and songwriterborn 2000
- Emmy Raver-LampmanAmerican actress and singerborn 1988
- Emmy DestinnCzech operatic soprano with a strong and soaring lyric-playwright voice (1878-1930)
- Emmy HenningsGerman poet, editor (1885–1948)
- Emmy ClarkeAmerican actressborn 1991
- Emmy AlbusGerman athletics competitor (1911–1995)
- Emmy AbrahamsonSwedish writer and actorborn 1976
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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