The first name Emerson
A unisex name.
Pronounced /ˈɛmɚ.sən/ 3 syllables Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
From Emery + -son.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 74 boys were named Emerson, making it the 522nd most popular boys’ name.
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Emerson with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Emerson at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 2,241 girls born in the United States were named Emerson, the 122nd most popular girls’ name that year.
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.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Emerson
31 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Edward Emerson BarnardAmerican astronomer and astronomical photographer (1857-1923)
- Emerson FittipaldiBrazilian racing driver (born 1946)
- EmersonBrazilian footballer (born 1976)
- Émerson LeãoBrazilian association football player and manager (born 1949)
- Émerson Carvalho da SilvaBrazilian association football player, born 1975
- Emerson RoyalBrazilian association football player, born 1999
- Émerson Luiz FirminoBrazilian association football player, born 1973
- Emerson ThomeBrazilian association football player, born 1972
- Emerson SpencerAthletics competitor (1906–1985)
- Emerson PaulistaBrazilian association football player, born 1980
- Emerson HyndmanAmerican soccer player, born 1996
- Emerson Orlando de MeloBrazilian association football player, born 1973
Questions
- What does the name Emerson mean?
- From Emery + -son.
- How popular is the name Emerson?
- In 2025, 74 boys born in England and Wales were named Emerson, ranking 522nd.
- Is Emerson a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 67,571 US babies named Emerson since 1880, 50% were girls and 50% boys.
- When was Emerson most popular?
- 2025 in the United States, when 2,241 babies were named Emerson, its highest rank at 122nd.
- How do you pronounce Emerson?
- Emerson is /ˈɛmɚ.sən/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Emerson?
- Emmerson.
- Is Emerson also a surname?
- Yes. Emerson is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.