Ema
Girl name · #1348 in 2025 · Uniqueness 60/100
In 2025, 164 baby girls were named Ema, placing it at #1348 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1470, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,976 girls born in 2025 was named Ema.
Babies named Ema per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 142-year story
Ema first appears in the Social Security records in 1883, when 8 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 164 babies and a rank of #1348. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ema against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ema in class?
Ema scores 60 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ema is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ema is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Emas were TX (29), CA (26), FL (22), NY (16), CO (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Ema
Statistically, parents drawn to Ema tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rhema, Gema, Asma, Ela, and Elia.
RhemaGemaAsmaElaEliaZiaJiaLiya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ema | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 164 | #1348 |
| 2024 | 136 | #1559 |
| 2023 | 156 | #1430 |
| 2022 | 144 | #1506 |
| 2021 | 106 | #1871 |
| 2020 | 141 | #1510 |
| 2019 | 150 | #1465 |
| 2018 | 124 | #1677 |
| 2017 | 130 | #1655 |
| 2016 | 151 | #1505 |
| 2015 | 156 | #1470 |
| 2014 | 145 | #1515 |
| 2013 | 137 | #1570 |
| 2012 | 136 | #1591 |
| 2011 | 161 | #1415 |
| 2010 | 134 | #1611 |
| 2009 | 148 | #1528 |
| 2008 | 153 | #1521 |
| 2007 | 136 | #1635 |
| 2006 | 152 | #1462 |
| 2005 | 133 | #1539 |
| 2004 | 134 | #1498 |
| 2003 | 125 | #1542 |
| 2002 | 81 | #2100 |
| 2001 | 58 | #2600 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ema a popular girl name?
Ema ranked #1348 among girls in 2025 with 164 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1470.
When was the name Ema most popular?
Ema peaked in 2025, when 164 American girls received the name (ranked #1348 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ema?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,976 newborn American girls was named Ema. It scores 60/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.