Emil
How to say it: EM-il · /ˈɛmɪl/
From Latin Aemilius, a Roman family name possibly meaning 'rival' or from Aemilia via Germanic adoption.
Emil was the 912th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 155 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are up about 23% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #844 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #912 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 155 |
| Share of births | 1 in 14,734 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | +23% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #844 |
| In France, 2025 | #59 among boys’ names, 55 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Dating far back to a high in the 1880s, Emil persists in use far below its peak. The next stretch should bring a small lift.
What goes with it
Compact and soft with mellow tones, it travels easily and feels calm. August shares its style.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Emil is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Turkish.
In France: #59 for boys in 2025.
Ireland: #478.
Famous people named Emil
- Emil Fischer (1852–1919)German chemist
- Emil von Behring (1854–1917)German physiologist who received the first Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1901 for his discovery of a diphtheria antitoxin
- Emil Cioran (1911–1995)Romanian-French philosopher and essayist
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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