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The name Emily: meaning and origin

  • Emily name meaning
  • Emily name origin
  • meaning of the name Emily

Is your name Emily? It comes from the Roman family name Aemilius. It is a name of literature and poetry, carried by Emily Brontë and Emily Dickinson.

📜 Where does the name Emily come from and what does it mean?

Emily is the English form of the Latin Aemilia, the feminine of the Roman family name Aemilius. It is often linked to the Latin aemulus, rival, someone who strives to equal or outdo others.

Geoffrey Chaucer already used the name in the 14th century, and it spread in English-speaking countries in the 18th century, after the House of Hanover came to the British throne.

🖋️ Famous people named Emily

The best-known Emilys are in literature: Emily Brontë, author of Wuthering Heights, and the American poet Emily Dickinson. In modern film there is the British actress Emily Blunt.

Pen and screen: Emilys are good at both.

💬 Pet names for Emily

Emilys are most often called:

  • Em
  • Emmy
  • Millie

📚 What character is linked to the name Emily?

People say Emilys are dreamy, observant and very gentle. They love books and notice the little details of the world that others miss.

🔢 The numerology number of Emily

A poet's name has a number too. In Pythagorean numerology, where A is 1, B is 2 and so on up to I is 9, the letters of Emily add up to 28, which reduces to 1.

In numerology, 1 is the number of leadership, independence and new beginnings. It is a playful tradition rather than science, but it is fun to see how well it fits you.