Emile Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: eh-MEEL /eˈmil/
Origin: French; Latin
Meaning: French: rival; Latin: to strive
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Emile is derived from the Latin name Aemilius, which is believed to originate from the Latin word "aemulus," meaning "rival" or "to strive." The name Aemilius was borne by a prominent Roman family, the gens Aemilia, which played a significant role in Roman history. As Latin evolved into the Romance languages, Aemilius transformed into various forms, including the Old French "Émile," which was adopted into English in the 19th century, primarily through literary influences.
Historically, the name Emile has been associated with notable figures, including the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who published his influential work "Émile, or On Education" in 1762. This text explored themes of education and personal development, contributing to the name's philosophical resonance.
Additionally, the name has been linked to various saints and historical figures throughout the Middle Ages, further embedding it in cultural and religious contexts. Culturally, Emile carries connotations of ambition and rivalry, reflective of its etymological roots.
The name has been embraced in various literary and artistic works, often symbolizing the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth. The diminutive form "Em" has also been used in some contexts, although it is less common than the full name.
Overall, Emile's historical and cultural significance is marked by its connections to education, philosophy, and the enduring legacy of the Aemilius family in ancient Rome.
Famous people named Emile
In this section, you will find notable people named Emile. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Emile who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Emile who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Emile Zola is a novelist best known for Germinal, Nana, and The Rougon-Macquart series.
Emile Hirsch is an actor best known for Into the Wild, Milk, and Speed Racer.
Emile Galle is a glass artist best known for his Art Nouveau glassworks and furniture designs.
Emile Durkheim is a sociologist best known for The Division of Labor in Society, Suicide, and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life.
Fictional characters named Emile
The following list of fictional characters named Emile is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Emile is a fictional character from the film Ratatouille. He is a friendly and supportive rat who encourages his friend Remy to pursue his dream of becoming a chef.
Emile is a fictional character from the video game series Final Fantasy. He is a skilled warrior who plays a significant role in the story of Final Fantasy IX.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Emile, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Emile. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Emile was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Emile has ranked as high as #729 nationally, which occurred in 1922, and has been most popular in Louisiana, Massachusetts, California, New York, and Maine.
In the past 5 years the name Emile has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Emile is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Emile was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Emile (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 17 | |
| NY | 12 | |
| TX | 9 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Emile.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 82 |
| 2023 | 66 |
| 2022 | 72 |
| 2021 | 83 |
| 2020 | 71 |
| 2019 | 65 |
| 2018 | 60 |
| 2017 | 66 |
| 2016 | 60 |
| 2015 | 55 |
| 2014 | 52 |
| 2013 | 46 |
| 2012 | 40 |
| 2011 | 35 |
| 2010 | 32 |
| 2009 | 49 |
| 2008 | 49 |
| 2007 | 41 |
| 2006 | 34 |
| 2005 | 44 |
| 2004 | 39 |
| 2003 | 34 |
| 2002 | 42 |
| 2001 | 33 |
| 2000 | 31 |
| 1999 | 25 |
| 1998 | 36 |
| 1997 | 26 |
| 1996 | 27 |
| 1995 | 43 |
| 1994 | 38 |
| 1993 | 29 |
| 1992 | 32 |
| 1991 | 39 |
| 1990 | 25 |
| 1989 | 23 |
| 1988 | 40 |
| 1987 | 33 |
| 1986 | 23 |
| 1985 | 33 |
| 1984 | 28 |
| 1983 | 31 |
| 1982 | 38 |
| 1981 | 44 |
| 1980 | 35 |
| 1979 | 36 |
| 1978 | 38 |
| 1977 | 30 |
| 1976 | 39 |
| 1975 | 36 |
| 1974 | 39 |
| 1973 | 36 |
| 1972 | 37 |
| 1971 | 44 |
| 1970 | 57 |
| 1969 | 40 |
| 1968 | 47 |
| 1967 | 42 |
| 1966 | 43 |
| 1965 | 48 |
| 1964 | 55 |
| 1963 | 57 |
| 1962 | 63 |
| 1961 | 69 |
| 1960 | 56 |
| 1959 | 70 |
| 1958 | 74 |
| 1957 | 51 |
| 1956 | 78 |
| 1955 | 57 |
| 1954 | 63 |
| 1953 | 69 |
| 1952 | 74 |
| 1951 | 66 |
| 1950 | 69 |
| 1949 | 80 |
| 1948 | 82 |
| 1947 | 108 |
| 1946 | 73 |
| 1945 | 76 |
| 1944 | 82 |
| 1943 | 86 |
| 1942 | 87 |
| 1941 | 84 |
| 1940 | 72 |
| 1939 | 92 |
| 1938 | 93 |
| 1937 | 85 |
| 1936 | 91 |
| 1935 | 85 |
| 1934 | 76 |
| 1933 | 97 |
| 1932 | 112 |
| 1931 | 119 |
| 1930 | 121 |
| 1929 | 112 |
| 1928 | 121 |
| 1927 | 137 |
| 1926 | 131 |
| 1925 | 140 |
| 1924 | 147 |
| 1923 | 158 |
| 1922 | 167 |
| 1921 | 165 |
| 1920 | 142 |
| 1919 | 150 |
| 1918 | 153 |
| 1917 | 138 |
| 1916 | 136 |
| 1915 | 127 |
| 1914 | 121 |
| 1913 | 95 |
| 1912 | 76 |
| 1911 | 54 |
| 1910 | 43 |
| 1909 | 36 |
| 1908 | 33 |
| 1907 | 23 |
| 1906 | 21 |
| 1905 | 31 |
| 1904 | 28 |
| 1903 | 23 |
| 1902 | 18 |
| 1901 | 20 |
| 1900 | 31 |
| 1899 | 23 |
| 1898 | 31 |
| 1897 | 24 |
| 1896 | 34 |
| 1895 | 21 |
| 1894 | 26 |
| 1893 | 25 |
| 1892 | 28 |
| 1891 | 14 |
| 1890 | 21 |
| 1889 | 27 |
| 1888 | 21 |
| 1887 | 21 |
| 1886 | 25 |
| 1885 | 19 |
| 1884 | 28 |
| 1883 | 23 |
| 1882 | 37 |
| 1881 | 20 |
| 1880 | 12 |