Total births
9,518
Unisex name · since 1904
Emerald
9,518 babies named Emerald in U.S. Social Security records since 1904, with the highest year being 2024. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #708
- among girls today
- 9,518
- born since 1904
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other girls
Emerald currently ranks #708 among unisex names in America, with 9,518 babies recorded since 1904.
Emerald has 9,518 recorded births among girls since 1904, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #708 as of the latest data, more common than 96% of girls, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1904 to 2025.
- #708 among girls today
- 9,518 born since 1904
- 1990s peak decade
- 96% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Emerald is currently the #708 unisex name in America, more common than 96% of girls - 9,518 born since 1904, peaking in the 1990s.
- #708
- among girls today
- 9,518
- born since 1904
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other girls
Emerald vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#708
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 96% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Emerald was born in this single decade.
2024
Single peak year
397 babies were named Emerald in 2024 - its busiest year on record.
How Emerald compares
9,518 Top 9% higher than 91% of 17,726 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
Emerald's all-time total is 25x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Emerald | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 9,518 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 397 | 48 | 19,840 |
Emerald's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Emerald's SSA record in two at 1979 and the more recent half accounts for 96% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 4%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1904, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2024 peak of 397, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Emerald at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
2024
Current rank
#708
Active since
1904
Emerald popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1904–2025
- Peak year (2024)
- 397
- Annual births at peak, across 122 years of records
Emerald popularity over time - boys
538 total births recorded since 1908 (Emerald as boys' name)
Emerald by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Emerald's strongest decade.
2,212 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Emerald births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 17
1900s
17 births
- 1910s 82
1910s
82 births
- 1920s 78
1920s
78 births
- 1930s 11
1930s
11 births
- 1940s 29
1940s
29 births
- 1950s 31
1950s
31 births
- 1960s 42
1960s
42 births
- 1970s 152
1970s
152 births
- 1980s
1980s
935 births
- 1990s
1990s
2,212 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,836 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,012 births
- 2020s
2020s
2,081 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 2,212 births (23% of all-time use).
How Emerald 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 Emerald's total volume
Emerald vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Emerald by state
Where Emerald concentrates geographically, total births since 1904
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,294 | 13.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 1,274 | 13.4% |
| #3 | Florida | | 431 | 4.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 365 | 3.8% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 330 | 3.5% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 322 | 3.4% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 206 | 2.2% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 177 | 1.9% |
California share of Emerald's total US births 13.6%
Even split
1,294 of 9,518 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 38 reporting states.
Emerald appears in 38 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Emerald? ▼
Emerald has been given to 9,518 babies in the U.S. since 1904, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #708 as of the latest data. 397 babies were born in 2024, its single highest year.
When was Emerald most popular? ▼
Emerald was most popular in the 1990s decade with 2,212 total births. The single peak year was 2024.
Where is Emerald most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Emerald are California (1,294 births), Texas (1,274 births), Florida (431 births).
Is Emerald a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Emerald is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 9,518 births, and as a boy's name it has 538 births.
How long has the name Emerald been used? ▼
Emerald has been recorded in Social Security data since 1904, spanning 122 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Emerald? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Emery, Emerson, Emely, Emersyn, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Emerald's data
- Emerald's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (2,212 total births) through the 2020s (2,081) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Emeralds (1,294 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Emerald
Nearby Names Like Emerald
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Emerald
Emery Girl
#70 43,837 births
Emerson Girl
#151 34,050 births
Emely Girl
#427 23,864 births
Emersyn Girl
#154 22,246 births
Emelia Girl
#574 14,028 births
Compare Emerald side by side: Emerald vs Emery Emerald vs Emerson Emerald vs Emely
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Emerald
Rivka #707
10,022 births · Peak 2025
Hana #709
13,007 births · Peak 2025
Bridget #706
92,367 births · Peak 1973
Amelie #710
9,654 births · Peak 2013
Ainsley #705
20,470 births · Peak 2014
Noor #711
8,276 births · Peak 2025
Christina #704
479,718 births · Peak 1985
Jenesis #712
5,743 births · Peak 2023
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1904–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Emerald: #708 Unisex Name - 9,518 Births, Peak 2024." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/emerald. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Emerald 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 June 2026.