Unisex nameCurrently #151 in the USSteady
Emerson
EM-er-sun//ˈɛmərsən//
3 syllablesPeak year: 20177 lettersStarts with E
Meaning & origin
Son of Emery (industrious ruler)
Emerson comes from an English surname meaning 'son of Emery', itself a Germanic name built from elements for 'work' and 'ruler'. Its literary association with essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson gives it added weight, and it has become a fast-rising unisex choice since the 2010s.
Emerson's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Emerson |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 25 |
| 1881 | 20 |
| 1882 | 15 |
| 1883 | 20 |
| 1884 | 15 |
| 1885 | 17 |
| 1886 | 17 |
| 1887 | 16 |
| 1888 | 18 |
| 1889 | 22 |
| 1890 | 13 |
| 1891 | 21 |
| 1892 | 19 |
| 1893 | 20 |
| 1894 | 23 |
| 1895 | 21 |
| 1896 | 20 |
| 1897 | 13 |
| 1898 | 25 |
| 1899 | 19 |
| 1900 | 34 |
| 1901 | 25 |
| 1902 | 28 |
| 1903 | 26 |
| 1904 | 30 |
| 1905 | 36 |
| 1906 | 28 |
| 1907 | 41 |
| 1908 | 32 |
| 1909 | 41 |
| 1910 | 52 |
| 1911 | 59 |
| 1912 | 142 |
| 1913 | 114 |
| 1914 | 164 |
| 1915 | 229 |
| 1916 | 225 |
| 1917 | 229 |
| 1918 | 273 |
| 1919 | 264 |
| 1920 | 259 |
| 1921 | 236 |
| 1922 | 254 |
| 1923 | 222 |
| 1924 | 249 |
| 1925 | 231 |
| 1926 | 187 |
| 1927 | 186 |
| 1928 | 188 |
| 1929 | 127 |
| 1930 | 171 |
| 1931 | 124 |
| 1932 | 141 |
| 1933 | 121 |
| 1934 | 130 |
| 1935 | 110 |
| 1936 | 108 |
| 1937 | 116 |
| 1938 | 121 |
| 1939 | 96 |
| 1940 | 125 |
| 1941 | 113 |
| 1942 | 116 |
| 1943 | 115 |
| 1944 | 103 |
| 1945 | 82 |
| 1946 | 97 |
| 1947 | 116 |
| 1948 | 109 |
| 1949 | 117 |
| 1950 | 102 |
| 1951 | 112 |
| 1952 | 88 |
| 1953 | 101 |
| 1954 | 117 |
| 1955 | 79 |
| 1956 | 88 |
| 1957 | 93 |
| 1958 | 79 |
| 1959 | 87 |
| 1960 | 89 |
| 1961 | 74 |
| 1962 | 89 |
| 1963 | 89 |
| 1964 | 88 |
| 1965 | 74 |
| 1966 | 67 |
| 1967 | 68 |
| 1968 | 64 |
| 1969 | 57 |
| 1970 | 70 |
| 1971 | 63 |
| 1972 | 66 |
| 1973 | 66 |
| 1974 | 56 |
| 1975 | 66 |
| 1976 | 78 |
| 1977 | 68 |
| 1978 | 73 |
| 1979 | 74 |
| 1980 | 67 |
| 1981 | 72 |
| 1982 | 75 |
| 1983 | 76 |
| 1984 | 89 |
| 1985 | 87 |
| 1986 | 100 |
| 1987 | 86 |
| 1988 | 95 |
| 1989 | 111 |
| 1990 | 130 |
| 1991 | 106 |
| 1992 | 119 |
| 1993 | 141 |
| 1994 | 126 |
| 1995 | 155 |
| 1996 | 143 |
| 1997 | 139 |
| 1998 | 313 |
| 1999 | 311 |
| 2000 | 306 |
| 2001 | 408 |
| 2002 | 503 |
| 2003 | 588 |
| 2004 | 535 |
| 2005 | 1,070 |
| 2006 | 1,538 |
| 2007 | 1,617 |
| 2008 | 1,749 |
| 2009 | 1,656 |
| 2010 | 1,646 |
| 2011 | 1,888 |
| 2012 | 2,150 |
| 2013 | 2,503 |
| 2014 | 2,738 |
| 2015 | 3,001 |
| 2016 | 3,188 |
| 2017 | 3,299 |
| 2018 | 3,190 |
| 2019 | 3,208 |
| 2020 | 3,069 |
| 2021 | 2,980 |
| 2022 | 2,992 |
| 2023 | 3,031 |
| 2024 | 3,235 |
Emerson through the decades
- Emerson peaked in 2017, when 3,299 babies were named Emerson in the US.
- The 2020s were Emerson's strongest decade, averaging 3,061 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Emerson has risen 68% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Emerson currently ranks #151 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Em
Variants & spellings
Emmerson
Famous people named Emerson
- Ralph Waldo Emerson — essayist (surname)