What does Emerson mean?
An English surname, “son of Emery,” with Emery meaning “brave, powerful.”
What does Sawyer mean?
An English occupational surname, “one who saws wood.”
Emerson vs Sawyer
Which is more popular?
Sawyer is more popular than Emerson today: about 2,941 US babies were given the name Sawyer in 2025, compared with 2,241 named Emerson.
| Emerson | Sawyer | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Son of Emery | Woodcutter |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | EM-er-sun | SOY-er |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1993 | 1913 |
| Peak year | 2025 (2,241) | 2015 (4,272) |
| In 2025 | 2,241 | 2,941 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Emerson
Sawyer
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Emerson | Sawyer |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 11,246 | 17,914 |
| 2010s | 16,233 | 34,031 |
| 2000s | 6,205 | 10,153 |
| 1990s | 366 | 3,453 |
| 1980s | 0 | 275 |
| 1970s | 0 | 5 |
| 1910s | 0 | 7 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Emerson or Sawyer more popular?
Sawyer is more popular than Emerson today: about 2,941 US babies were given the name Sawyer in 2025, compared with 2,241 named Emerson.
What is the difference between Emerson and Sawyer?
Emerson means Son of Emery (English origin), while Sawyer means Woodcutter (English origin).
Which name is older, Emerson or Sawyer?
In US records, Emerson first appears in 1993 and Sawyer in 1913, so Sawyer has the longer recorded history.