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