The first name Emerald
A girl’s name.
2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
From emerald. The Queensland town takes its name from the emerald and other precious stone deposits in the area and from the pastoral run Emerald Downs, a name chosen circa 1860 by pastoralist Peter Fitzallan MacDonald. It is unclear if emeralds were found in or around Emerald. The given name is a modern coinage from the name of the gemstone, representing a vernacular form of Esmeralda.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 20 girls were named Emerald, making it the 1,512th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2024, with 27 births (#1,230).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Emerald with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Emerald at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 367 girls born in the United States were named Emerald, the 741st most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2024, when 397 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Emerald
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Emerald FennellEnglish actress, filmmaker and writer (born 1985)
Questions
- What does the name Emerald mean?
- From emerald. The Queensland town takes its name from the emerald and other precious stone deposits in the area and from the pastoral run Emerald Downs, a name chosen circa 1860 by pastoralist Peter Fitzallan MacDonald. It is unclear if emeralds were found in or around Emerald.…
- How popular is the name Emerald?
- In 2025, 20 girls born in England and Wales were named Emerald, ranking 1,512th. Its peak was 2024, with 27 births.
- Is Emerald a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 95% of the 10,056 US babies named Emerald since 1880 were girls.
- When was Emerald most popular?
- 2024 in the United States, when 397 babies were named Emerald, its highest rank at 708th.