| Ella | Emma | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | All; fairy maiden | Whole, universal |
| Origin | Germanic | Germanic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | EL-uh | EM-uh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2010 (9,884) | 2003 (22,719) |
| In 2025 | 5,831 | 12,754 |
| Trend | Declining | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ella | Emma |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 37,920 | 85,652 |
| 2010s | 85,922 | 195,070 |
| 2000s | 67,544 | 181,414 |
| 1990s | 3,897 | 58,252 |
| 1980s | 1,576 | 10,381 |
| 1970s | 2,096 | 4,665 |
| 1960s | 5,176 | 6,993 |
| 1950s | 11,038 | 14,613 |
| 1940s | 15,977 | 22,788 |
| 1930s | 19,962 | 30,022 |
| 1920s | 29,521 | 46,538 |
| 1910s | 24,913 | 41,819 |
| 1900s | 14,763 | 24,176 |
| 1890s | 17,072 | 28,652 |
| 1880s | 13,936 | 25,404 |
From a Germanic root meaning “all” or “other,” and also read in Norman use as “fairy maiden.”
Emma comes from the Germanic ermen, meaning “whole” or “universal.” It has been used in England since the Norman Conquest.
Emma is more popular than Ella today: about 12,754 US babies were given the name Emma in 2025, compared with 5,831 named Ella.
Ella means All; fairy maiden (Germanic origin), while Emma means Whole, universal (Germanic origin).
In US records, Ella first appears in 1880 and Emma in 1880, so Ella has the longer recorded history.