Girls' name · since 1883
Ema
Since 1883, U.S. Social Security records show 4,857 babies named Ema, peaking in 2025. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,629 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- #1,348 of 17,297
- 2025 SSA year
- 4,857
- born since 1883
- 2010s
- peak decade
Ema currently ranks #1348 among girls' names in America, with 4,857 babies recorded since 1883.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ema has been recorded 4,857 times among girls since 1883, currently ranked #1348 nationally and more common than 92% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1883 to 2025.
- #2,629 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- #1,348 of 17,297 2025 SSA year
- 4,857 born since 1883
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ema ranks #2,629 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #1,348 of 17,297 among girls' names in 2025. 4,857 born since 1883, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2,629 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- #1,348 of 17,297
- 2025 SSA year
- 4,857
- born since 1883
- 2010s
- peak decade
Ema's 4,857 recorded births place it above 96.36% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
22 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Ema compares
4,857 Top 14% higher than 86% of 17,297 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ema's all-time total is 13x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ema | Median girls name (Kyann) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,857 | 376 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 164 | 21 | 19,840 |
Ema's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ema splits its recorded history at 1958: 84% of all births land in the more recent half, 16% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1885 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2025 peak of 164 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ema popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 164
- Annual births at peak, across 143 years of records
Ema by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (1,424 births, 29% of the file).
2010s was Ema's strongest decade.
1,424 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Ema births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 37
1880s
37 births
- 1890s 43
1890s
43 births
- 1900s 34
1900s
34 births
- 1910s 127
1910s
127 births
- 1920s 229
1920s
229 births
- 1930s 161
1930s
161 births
- 1940s 93
1940s
93 births
- 1950s 74
1950s
74 births
- 1960s 55
1960s
55 births
- 1970s 114
1970s
114 births
- 1980s 148
1980s
148 births
- 1990s 301
1990s
301 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,170 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,424 births
- 2020s
2020s
847 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,424 births (29% of all-time use).
How Ema compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ema's total volume
Ema by state
Where Ema concentrates geographically, total births since 1883
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 604 | 12.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 589 | 12.1% |
| #3 | Florida | | 315 | 6.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 293 | 6.0% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 158 | 3.3% |
| #6 | Arizona | | 66 | 1.4% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 63 | 1.3% |
| #8 | New Jersey | | 63 | 1.3% |
604 of 4,857 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 22 reporting states.
Ema appears in 22 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ema? ▼
Where does Ema sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Ema most popular? ▼
Where is Ema most popular? ▼
How long has the name Ema been used? ▼
What names are similar to Ema? ▼
What to do with Ema's data
- Ema's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,424 total births) through the 2020s (847) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Emas (604 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ema
Nearby Names Like Ema
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ema
Compare Ema side by side: Ema vs Emani Ema vs Emalee Ema vs Eman
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ema
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ema: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2025)
Similar record span (~142 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1883–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ema draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.