Comments for the name Emily

This name is wildly popular and has been the #1 for baby girls born in the US and Canada for several years! Do not use this name unless you want her to be Emily P. (or whatever) all throughout her life.

Means "God's Promise".

Contrary to what most baby name sites say, this name does not mean "industrious".

Even if the name 'Emily' is quite common, I think it's prettier and more elegant than Emma. Why would anyone name their girl that, anyway?

It's a classy and exquisite name; even if it is #1 in America and Canada.

Actually the #1 name in Canada is Emma. Emily is #2. But who really cares?

Famous bearer is Emily Browning. She appears in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events as Violet Baudelaire. I think she's a good actress.

Symbolically meaning "The one who's dangerous, rival".

This name is much better than Emma. Emma is so rough sounding compared to Emily.

Emily is used for so many girls that I can't STAND it! It totally ruins it. Emily is so common and un-special, that no one likes it anymore.

The name Emily is a disgrace. The Emily I used to know made me cry and made fun of me every day of my life in the first or second grade. I think Emma or Ella is much better.

Wow, what's with the comment about the name Emily being a disgrace? This person obviously has issues if something that happened in childhood still causes you to harbor that much anger. Emily is a beautiful name that I used for my first daughter eleven years ago, right when it started becoming so popular! I still love it, it is an elegant, classic name!

My name is Emily. Even though it was VERY unpopular when my mother gave me my name, I have always loved it. I was born in 1968 and the most popular girl names were Lisa, Melissa, Jennifer, Lori, etc. They were so common. I did not know one other girl named Emily growing up. Now when I hear mother's call for their daughters, I always turn my head. Emily is a popular name now and has been for the past 10+ years, but remains a beautiful and special name to me.

I think some people think the name Emily is old. I guess it is like one of the greatest names because so many people have the name Emily. Also, my best friend's name is Emily-Rose so I just want to say love.

Emily's my sister's name, and while I think it's a beautiful name, I also think there are far too many Emilys.

Personally I don't like the name Emily. It's just too popular!

Famous bearer: actress Emily Procter.

Emily is a song by From First To Last. It is also the name of the main character in "The Corpse Bride."

I have always prefered Emily to Emma.

Although I agree that yes, the name Emily is somewhat overused nowadays, especially having four Emilys in my own school, but it is still a classic and beautiful name.

I don't think the name Emily is really bad but it is too ordinary for me.

I know a girl named Emily. But here's the thing, Emily is a very popular name, and personally I'm not too fond of it. If only because I don't like that: one, it's popular; two, I don't like a girl named Emily; and three I find that it is annoying when people call their child what everyone else is calling their child. For instance, there are nearly ten Emily's in my grade alone, and we have about six Jessica's. There's something wrong with that. I believe that if you are going to name your child something, make it unique or something that means a lot to you. Have a reason for the name, not just you think it sounds pretty. Do your research.

I love the name Emily. It's such a pretty name.
I disagree with your statements about this name. I happen to know a lovely young lady who happens to be named Emily. She is neither snobby or unoriginal. She is very "unique." SO CHECK YOUR RESEARCH!

My middle name is actually Emily and I was very close to having it as a first name. There are actually only around 5 Emily's in my school out of 700. I guess it's not as popular in my area.

Auntie Em from "The Wizard of Oz" was actually named Emily.

I hate the name Emily, it's horrible.

Emily is the worst name you could ever have.

The main character in "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" is Emily.

While reading the comments, I must say, I got a good laugh. It seems as though some of you actually think people plan for their child to have the same name as, say, 7 other kids, not to mention the exact same age, grade, class. My name is Emily. I am named after my grandmother. I went to schools in different states and I was the only Emily in my grades. And it is okay for you to not like the name Emily. If it isn't your name, don't worry about it, you don't have to like it. If it is your name and you don't like it, change it. As for me, I like it just fine.

The protagonist of the graphic novels/brand "Emily the Strange".

My name is Emily, and I was named that because my parents couldn't decide between Emma and Lily. Despite the fact I do love my name (most of the time) there are just too many girls named it. I went to a course a couple of years ago and there were SEVEN girls called Emily out of 12. It's just too popular.

"Emily" - Manic Street Preachers
"Rose for Emily" - The Zombies
"For Emily, whenever I may find her" - Simon and Garfunkel
"Emily" - Bowling for Soup
"Emily" - Stephen Fretwell.

This name is so overused! I don't think it's a special name because so many people have Emily as a name! It's a very good name but waaaaay overused!

A popular name but I have never been too fond of it, it's really girly.

Emily Symons is an Aussie actress.

Another famous actress is Emily Watson. Emily Watson was born 1/14/67 in England.

This name is really ugly. All the Emilys I know are very stuck-up girls. And I don't want to base this info on everyone with this name but frankly I think it's quite ugly.

Apart from the fact that Emily is very popular, it is still a beautiful name.

I'm not really a fan of this name. It's too popular.

Emily Osment is the actress who played Gertie Giggles in "Spy Kids 2" and 3D. She is the younger sister of actor Haley Joel Osment.

This is a kind of boring name, in my opinion, and it is WAY too popular!

It sounds really cute and great for a girl, but my general impression is it's a name that parents use like a back-up when they can't think of any other names to give to their daughters, and I guess that's why it's so common.

British writer Emily Bronte bore this name.

I love this name. It is so beautiful. I just wish it weren't so common! One possible variation is Emma Leigh.

Emily is a pretty sweet name. I don't like how common it is though.

I used to have this name. I strongly suggest that you do not choose this name for a girl-it's too common at least in England anyway. I had 3 girls in my class that shared the same name and as previously said we had to call ach 'Emily W'/'Emily H' and 'Emily H2', it got a bit confusing. The nicknames are horrible, such as Em/"M" and Emmy or Emi-Wemi. There are only a few historical/literary people with this name so it hardly compensates there.

I personally like the name Emily, and Emma. But whether you like a name shouldn't be based on popularity, you should like or dislike a name for what it is; it shouldn't bother you that it's very popular. You also shouldn't dislike a name because of bad memories of a person who had it, it's the person who was horrible not the name. And I do like more unique names too.

I actually prefer Emily over the name Emma. Emily is more delicate and graceful. I don't care how popular the name is, it is still beautiful. My name Jennifer is very popular but that doesn't bother me any. I only know of a girl named Emma in my son's class but not any named Emily.

Famous bearer: U.S. figure skater Emily Hughes, who competed in the 2006 winter Olympics. She is the younger sister of 2002 gold medalist Sarah Hughes.

Pink Floyd has a song called "See Emily Play." Good song.

A nice name but far too common and overused in this day and age.

Emily Byrd Starr was the enchanting main character in L.M. Montgomery's Emily trilogy. Personally, I have always liked Emily better than Anne Shirley.

Pretty name, but too popular!

I like Emily, I think it sounds pretty even though it's popular. I don't like it when people hate the name just because it's so popular. I like it because it's pretty. I don't hate it like others do just because it's popular. I think others should give it a chance.

This name like its similarly spelled/sounding counterpart Emma, has become so overused that it has no major appeal anymore. A very boring name in my opinion.

Emily does indeed mean 'industrious,' as it is derived from Emil of the same meaning.

Nicknames for Emily could be Em, Ems, Ema, Milly or Lily.

Emily is a nice name, but I prefer Emma.

People say the name Emily is so popular, but I only know 2 girls named Emily. Maybe it's not very popular where I live.

I think Emily is such a sweet name. Very dainty.

Emily has been used since the 1880's and the start of the boom of the name Emily began in the 1960's.

I think the name's meaning 'rival' makes it a not so delicate name, and it reduces its appeal. In addition to that, too common names are a huge turn off.

I like this name. It is my #2 favorite name, next to Emma. However, I would spell it Emmalee or Emma-Leigh, not this common spelling.

This name is lovely!

Another famous Emly is Emily Fletcher of the series "AvALoN Web of Magic' by Rachel Roberts (awesome read - look it up! Really! It's about magic, and it's pretty cool in states of main characters' personalitites).

I love this name. I dunno why. I just do. Really. I like the name Emily. It's pretty, if you stop and think about it. It's plain at first thought, but slowly the name entwines your tongue in a smooth action, and you start falling in love with it.

There is a novelist named Emily Giffin.

Emily is a really beautiful name. It's really overused though. It's a unique name but not anymore since it's like the #1 name! I wouldn't use it, unless it's not that popular in like 15 years!

My name is Emilly, although spelt with 2 L's.
I think it's a nice name and certainly not boring. Although when I was born there wasn't any other Emilly's or Emily's about, it is very popular now.

Actually, Emma can also be used in Emmaline.

I really don't understand why everyone says it's bad to have a common name. In my current high school of 1250 kids, there are, including myself, three other Emily's, one in grade 10, one in grade 11, and one in grade 12. In my last school of 700 kids, there was only one other Emily, and she wasn't in any of my classes. In my elementary school, of 500 kids, I was the only Emily. So maybe it's not as popular as people think. Personally, I love my name, Emily Anna, but everyone doesn't have to.

1) The Latin family [gens] name -- Aemilius -- comes from the Latin word "aemulus", meaning "imitating, rivaling" [source: www.etymonline.com] -- So this "rival" challenges the opponent by first trying to imitate and EMULATE.
2) "Emily" comes "from the Latin word meaning 'industrious'” [source: Dictionary.com < Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2006] -- So, after imitating/emulating, the "rival" then works hard to supercede their opponent = working to gain the upper hand by being "industrious".
3) It's interesting to note that there is a major region in Italy called Emilia-Romagna (it was the destination of a major road from Rome heading North called the "via Emilia," because it was built by the Aemilius family living in that region -- see also Wikipedia's citiation for the town, "Reggio Emilia".]) It just so happens to be the "second richest region" in Italy (according to Wikipedia), proving that the name still inspires people to be successfully industrious!
4) Under the name "Emily," you also may want to note that it has been the most popular girls name in the US for well over 10 years now.

Emily is a beautiful name, and all the Emilys I met were very nice. I love the definition too, Ireland. A nice Emily I knew was Irish.

This is my mom's name, and I think it's such a pretty name. I would give my daughter this name, but I know how common it is. I don't want my child to go through life being known as "Emily S." I might consider giving it to my daughter as a middle name though.

It is stupid trying to judge someone by their name, it is given to them by their parents as babies. In all honestly it is a better judge of the parents personality. Whether someone is called Emily, Mildred or Rain-blossom everyone has their own unique personality.

It's a pity how popular it is. This name is so beautiful.

Too many Emilys! Can't people think of different names!

I really like this name, it's so sweet and cute!

I'd like to say, I've heard a lot of people diss this name because it's soooo popular. Or they diss it because they knew someone who was mean who had that name. Neither of these are good reasons. My name is Emily, and I like it. It didn't hit number two until 1994 and it didn't hit number one until two years later. I was already on my way to walking by the time it hit numeral 2. When I was named, my parents knew of no Emilys but dead Emilys. But now I know scores, even one with the same last initial as me.

The second reason, that you knew someone, we can't help that. It would be like hating all Brittney's because of Mrs. Spears. Or Jessicas because of Alba or Simpson. It's not fair, and everybody deserves a chance to make their own impresson. I would hate a lot of names if I went by one person with the name. There are pleanty of nice, unsnobish Emily's that hate being steryotyped, so please don't do this to us.

This name is popular for a reason, because it's beautiful.

Emily is really a beautiful name, it's too bad that it's getting so overused. But, eventually, the name will die down and then become popular again like the name Chloe.

The name Emily is cute, but I think it is too popular. For some reason I think it sounds kind of old-fashioned too. I don't know.

Only recently did I realize what a truly lovely name this is. I never before noticed its gorgeous, sweet sound. Of course, it's practically unusable to name your daughter in this day and age, due to it's immense popularity in the U.S., Canada, and pretty much everywhere else in the world. Despite this, I think Emily would make a great middle name to an unusual first name such as Georgina/Georgiana, Liadan, Hadley, etc. I also like the nickname Emma. ;)

I adore the name Emily! I might use it as a middle name, due to its popularity as many have mentioned. Addison Emily? Bridget Emily? I also love Emilie. Emilia, nickname Emily, is a nice alternative.

I adore this name. Now that it's so very popular, I don't think I could ever use it. But it deserves all the popularity it has.

Emily Robison plays the banjo in the Dixie Chicks.

Emily is Daniel Peggotty's niece in "David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens.

A lot of you have been saying you don't like the name Emily because someone with that name has picked on you.
I disagree with these statements: I too know people who annoy me with great names, but that's no excuse to not love a name. One of my favorite names is also the name of someone who has rubbed me the wrong way, but that doesn't stop me from liking it.

Why do you think people name their daughters Emily, Emma, and Madison over and over again, despite the popularity? It's not necessarily because they feel like giving people boring names. They give them these names because they love them. Or maybe they were named after a relative or friend back when the name wasn't so popular. I got my middle name from being named after a parent's friend -- and my first name because the other parent simply loved the name. You don't name your children names you don't like. Obviously, there are many people in this world who love this name.

It's not just that people like the names. Names go through trends, like everything else. Emily is not a good example to use because it's been very popular for a very long time, and I personally like it very much myself--but a lot of popular names have been around for a very long time but were never incredibly common until recently. Few names have been steadily popular for generations, which means it has not so much to do with just liking the name.

I hate the name Emily because it is way too common and I find it boring. I would not recommend using it whatsoever.

Too drawn out and overused for my tastes. It's so common place nowaday that it's lost its charm.

As this is the most popular name in America right now, I don't think I'll use it for my daughter. It is still a pretty name and most of the Emilys I've met were nice, but is WAY too popular for my taste.

My baby sister's name is Emily. She was born in 1999 before my mom realized it was the most popular name that year/decade. She did the same thing to me by naming me Amanda in 1985. I have to disagree with some of the comments about how "ugly" the name is and how all the "Emilys" are stuck up snobs. To those people maybe you need to expand your horizons. Though my sis can be a pain I love her and her name. She has a few different names Em, Emmy, Uddy, Meme.

It was such a pretty name until it became popular. I used to love that name, and now I hate it due to its new popularity.

My name is Emily, and while I do think that it is an exceedingly popular name, and sometimes overused, I am appalled and disgusted with some of the reviews people are leaving here. To hate all girls named Emily simply because you know a girl named Emily who is not very nice? That is superficial and childish. I hope to have many girls some day, and give each of them interesting and exotic names. (Probably Welsh.) Until then, suck it up, America, and get used to Emily!

I sort of like my name, Emily. I think it is pretty. But I HATE how popular it is. It gets annoying having 3 Emily's in one of my classes. I also hate when people call me Em.

I don't really like #1 names much. My name is Natalia and I've been the only Natalia in my school up until this year, but it was spelt Natalya. If I were Emily, there would probably be at least 30 other Emily's.

I hate when people say Emily is overused and there's always 30 different people with that name. Just live with it. You can always change your name.

Emily is an okay name, but it is extremely overused. If you absolutely need to use this name, use it as a middle name.

Emily is MY name, and I actually like it a lot. It's pretty, and I'd much rather be named it than something else that's ugly. However, it wasn't as popular my year (1992, it was in seventh) so I don't run into other Emilys everywhere I turn at school. It's really not a bad name. It's a classic.

Hey! Don't say bad things about the name! Just because you hate someone with the name Emily is a pathetic reason to hate it. And not all girls with the name are stuck-up! I do believe I'm not. I'm quite possibly the biggest tomboy in existence. {well, not really, but close to it.} Although, I do hate someone named Emily who IS stuck-up. Mainly because she's stuck-up and shares my name.

I was named about a year before it was popular, so nyah. *sticks tongue out* I only know 1 other Emily in my grade. And I even met her in junior high, which implies that I was the only Emily in my grade school classes. {and I was}
I think it's a lovely name. Especially when paired with a traditional name and if it's the middle name.

By the way, it's my middle name and I go by it over my first name Sara.

Ah, I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean offense. I just think it's wayyyy common and I dislike it for that. Just for the record, if it were below the top 10, I'd love it, but its' been #1 for 10 years, and any girl with it will have little or no sense of individuality. Sorry to write this essay but I just want to make sure that my little comment in the past isn't still making others angry. Peace out.

A famous bearer is Emily Morrison - daughter of Keith Morrison, NBC newscaster and sister of Matthew Perry.

Obscenely common, otherwise it has a nice ring to it.

Well, it's my name. It's not a bad name I guess, I've heard worse. There are way too many people who have it though.

Popularity doesn't usually change my mind. Therefore I love this name!

I know about 6 Emilies. It's ok, there are definitely more attractive. I wouldn't use it. Not to mention that it's getting to the point where any Emily could be "Emily C." or "Emily who goes to Calculus" or "Emily in the red shirt" "blond Emily" or any other thing that basically says "there are so many Emilies. Tough to pick one out of the crowd."

Emily means rival.

I loved this name, and I agree it is very popular so I decided to try and search for another name. Alas I couldn't! So my daughter ended up being Emeleigh (pronounced Emi-lee) and it's amazing the attention she gets about her name and the spelling! So simple but yet so unique, I picked well, and gave it a flair! Love the name!

A lot of people think Emily is a good name, but I strongly advise that you do not, under any circumstance, name your child this. It is way too short, way too overused, and will probably make your child somewhat confused about common things. If you really want to name your child Emily, try to find a name that includes or is related to the name Emily, and use Emily as a nickname. Your daughter will thank you one day.

One name that is similar in sound and feel to Emily but not nearly as popular is Amelia. I think parents who like Emily but are put off by its popularity should definitely consider this old, lovely, but underused name.

This is my youngest daughter's middle name (Piper Emily) and I think it's beautiful and much more sophisticated than Emma.

This is an ok name. It's got some background at least. It's too popular though. It also sounds just a tad too English, and thus too snooty, as if the parents want their kids to grow up to be a famous writer. Give it a rest mommies and daddies.

I think it's a very feminine name and I think it's really pretty.

I really like this name. Never knew it was so popular. I only know one Emily. I know a girl that's name is Emmalee and one that's Emilie and they all are pronounced pretty much the same but I only know one Emily in real life.

The actress that plays Lily Truscott on Hannah Montana is named Emily Osment.

It's a really pretty name.

This is a lovely name, very feminine, but WAY too overused. It has been the top girls name for 10 YEARS! How much more overused can it get? Don't let your little girl become just another Jennifer, Lisa, Ashley, Brittany, Tiffany, etc.

This is a lovely, feminine name, but it's way too overused. If you really like Emily but are afraid of its popularity, I suggest that you go with the similar `Amelie`. It seems like just another variant, but it's actually a real name. You could also go with Emilie, which isn't a variant either. Emilie and Amelie are ACTUAL names.

My name is Emmeleigh Shane, and I love it although the spelling is a bit unique. I would say not to be afraid to give this name just because it's popular, there were only 8 "Emily's" in my class of 2100.

I like it. It's good, and personally (I'm going to get flames for this from the tradition-upholders) I think it's a nice boy's name as well.

My aunt (who is 70-something) changed her name from Emily to Barbara when she was 14, because she thought Emily was too old-fashioned and sounded prim. 50 years later, millions of babies are being called Emily. Funny how names drop in and out of fashion.

It sounds okay at first but when you're a teenager it sounds really childish and I'm surprised it's in the top names, it's actually not that pretty, it's too boring.

I've never liked Emily that much. I just don't see how it's so popular. At least there's a reason behind Jacob and Micheal being so popular but with Emily it's starting to become a name someone would pick if they can't find anything else. Also, I think it depends where you live, I don't know any Emilys and never have so that was probably why I don't get it.

British actress Emily Mortimer bears this name. She has appeared in such movies as "Bright Young Things", "The Pink Panther", "Match Point", and "Lars and the Real Girl".

Being a bearer of this name, I feel I must comment. It's extremely common and overused, and I don't like it. There are many Emilys in my grade level, and often I get confused when people yell out "Emily" in the hallways of my school. I would not suggest it as a name, but it's just my thought on it.

My name is Emily and I think it is a wonderful name! I do agree that it is over-used. However, that doesn't make me like the name any less. I enjoy famiy and friends calling me by shortened versions as well. Such as Em, Emmy and Emma. I find it quite rude when people say is is a disgraceful name and things of that nature.

Emily is Molly's - a World War II doll from American Girl - best friend who comes to America from England to escape the war.

So uhm, my name's Emily. I find it extremely rude, that people have "strongly advised" people to not name their kids Emily. I do believe it's not your business what they name their kids. Also, to the people who have said that Emily is very common, yeah, it is. Does that mean the people named Emily are just ordinary, they can't be unique? You know, maybe I'M the crazy one, but I think that someone's name could never restrict their creativity. I know I'm going off on this. However, people need some common sense. A name is just what you call someone. Does it define who they are? Not at all. You make your own definition. Whether Emily to some people means that rude kid who teased you? That may be true for them. Just don't go around saying that everyone named Emily will be like that. Everyone should have an opportunity to make their name their own. I know I have.

My name is Emily, and although I dislike that it is so common, I wouldn't change my name. I love the way it sounds. But is it true that it means God's Promise? That would be nice. :)

Yes, it's number 1 with regard to popularity, but statistically, about one baby out of 100 born in 2006 is named Emily. That's not a lot. Plus, does it really matter if a lot of people share the same name? Middle names can be used if it gets to be a problem, e.g. E. Eloise Smith, instead of Emily E. Smith. I also am bothered by spellings such as "Emalee." Leave it Emily. 1/100 babies isn't a lot. This is a really pretty name, appropriate for a girl throughout her life. But only when spelled Emily.

I get frightened when I hear this name. The Exorcism of Emily Rose movie pops into my head and I want to go up under the covers and hide.

I like this name, but it is VERY, VERY, VERY popular!

Emily is my middle name. I'm from Russia and Emily is a rare name here. I like the way it sounds together with my first very overused name Anna.

I love the name Emily. It may be way overused, but it's very beautiful.

Emily, the sister of Hippolyta and sister-in-law to Theseus and with whom Arcite and Palamon fall in love with in the Knight's Tale in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

When I hear this name I can’t help but think at how bland this name has become.

As an Emily from the mid-80s, I'm almost ready to believe this fluff about Emily being the most popular name for years is nonsense. I didn't meet a single Emily my age growing up (although there were never fewer than three Jessicas or Jennifers in any given classroom), and my mother runs a preschool/elementary private school in California, and has about three Emilys total.

Lesson learned: In the old days, the top 10 names were given to a much larger percentage of the total kids born than today. I have yet to know someone well, my age or otherwise, named Emily.

This name has a matchless flow to it, both spry and gentle.

Seeing as this name has been the most commonly given name to girls in America for more than a decade, it is obviously very common and overused, and the name choice is thus hideously boring. It's not that it isn't a pretty name, but it's nauseatingly common. While the name is classical and doesn't have a trashy or ditzy sound to it, it has always sounded rather girly to me, that is, quite youthful, and when I hear the name, the first thing that pops to my mind is a little girl, not a woman.

A character from the comedy TV show Little Britain is called Emily Howard.

Emily Catherine is my name! I think it is a very pretty name, although it's quite common (it wasn't when I was born in 1992). There were about 6 Emilys in my secondary school year but I am the only Emily starting my 6th form in September, so despite its popularity in America and everywhere else, it's not that common where I live. I have loads of nicknames for it. My family and close friends call me Em or Emmy or Embo. My little sisters call me Mem and Memly. And I still get called little Emmy by my grandma! Emily is a nice name!

I really don't like this name, it's too commen and bland for me. But every Emily I ever met was very beautiful and when I think of 'Emily' I think of a little doll for some reason. I don't hate this name because it's common or anything I just don't like it. But a lot of pretty girls are named it.

I HATE this name. It's so ugly. My name is Emma and people are always calling me Emily and I'm like eww that's an ugly name. No offense to the Emilys out there. Your parents just have incredibly bad taste.

My real name is Emily but I hate it. I like to be called Emma but I would much rather be referred to by my middle of Confirmation names. I used to love Emily cause when I was a little girl nobody was named Emily but a lot of my friends always had to do a doubly take when names were called because of repeats. I hate being like the rest of everyone. That's probably why instead of having a boring Confirmation name I took a big one. I think that people should be different in naming their kids because otherwise it's all gonna be confusing. Unusual names may seem tough in the beginning for others but chances are nobody else will have that name and your kid will be unique. Of course everyone is unique but sometimes being just a little out there helps make lifelong friends who know your craziness but love you for it anyway. A name is important, don't let it be pulled from the top but let it come out from under the dust to be polished off on your child for their life.

I've always liked this name, but it's getting too popular.

Emily means industrious from the Latin Amelius.

Ashley, Emily, Hannah, Sarah, and Tiffany all have one thing in common: overused.

I love this name. And the person who said people who name their children Emily have bad taste- How dare you? That is incredibly rude. This name is very pretty, despite its popularity, I love it. It's also my name. I find it a beautiful name, and I love when people call me Em. I love this name, but I don't like the fact I've been called Emily R my whole life.

Isn't it interesting that this name means "rival" when Charlotte Bronte eluded to her slight jealousy of her sister's writing in her postmortem introduction to Wuthering Heights? Just a thought.

I've had a few laughs reading people's opinions of the names Emma and Emily. I'm an Emma, but don't have a problem if people call me Emily. I like both names, even though I wish that they weren't so popular. No offense, but it annoys me when someone judges a name based off of knowing someone named a particular name.

A classic novel by L. M. Montgomery is called Emily of New Moon. Its Sequels are Emily Climbs and Emily's Quest. They are actually pretty good.

Although I don't like the meaning of this name - rival - I do like the flow of it. It's one of my favorites.

The title character in William Faulkner's famous short story "A Rose for Emily" bears this name. (Not a good association).

While most people say emma-lee when they pronounce it, I know quite a few people who pronounce it Im-ill-e. I like the latter of the versions better as it sounds less like the overused name we have all come to know.

A very pretty name - it isn't surprising that it's been consistently popular for the past few years. One thing that bothers me, though, is altering its spelling. Not so much Emily's, but Emmalee's, Emaleigh's, Emiley's, etc. If you want your daughter to be Emily, stick with Emily. Butchering its beauty is just plain wrong - it's the name that's beautiful, that's special - adding another letter doesn't make it "unique". More so trying too hard.

A name is merely a name, it is no reflection of the individual's personality. My name is Emily and I am content.

I've never been fond of the name Emily. It's so common and plain. I teach at an elementary school, and there are no less than 7 Emily's (or variations of the spelling, which makes it all the more annoying and confusing) in the first grade alone. Three of them in my class. Be a little more creative, parents.

Emily has been ranked as the #1 girl name for 7 years. Now that is what you call overused. Pretty name, but so many girls have it!

A bit too common for my liking, but I love it spelled 'Emmalee' or 'EmmaLee'. :)

Even though it's so popular, at least this one I can understand WHY it is. It's a lovely name (not my favorite, but still). I envision an Emily being anything from a quiet sophisticated girl with long black hair to a fun spunky girl with a curly bob. :D

I like this name even though it's common. It sounds sweet. And I agree, it does sound much better than Emma.

Emily Murphy was a journalist, writer and the first female judge in the British Empire in 1916. She was one of the women who led the fight to qualify women as "persons" under the eye of the law in Canada.

Emily is the name of my sister. I think it is a wonderful name.

I kinda like the spelling Emmaleigh.

My name is Emily and I really like the name! I hate how people automatically hate the name because it's so common. Another thing that bugs me is when someone bases their opinion on some girl named Emily that was mean to them when they were young. I think this name is simple yet elegant.

Pretty with a good history and meaning behind it, but I would never, ever use it. Emma and Emily are the Ashley and Brittany of this generation. If you absolutely must use an Em name, use Emmeline. It's just as pretty and your daughter won't be turning her head every time someone shouts out Emily.

I like Emily very much as a feminine name, even though it is very common. Way nicer to the ear than Emma, which isn't a bad name but Emily to me is much sweeter.

Although Emily is a very common feminine name, I like it very much. It's sweet and pleasing to the ear and unlike many names that are passing fads, will endure for centuries to come.

Emily is no longer the #1 name for girls, being replaced by Emma. I doubt this will make a huge difference, though, as Emily at #1 still didn't make a full 1%!

My name is Emily, when I was younger I didn't like it but now I do. People usually call me Em. Even though Emily is a popular name, it's not like I run into twelve other Emily's daily. In my lifetime I've only met about three or four.

My gosh! Can this name get any more popular?!

Oh come on, it's a shame that this is a common name at all. It's really ugly, and it makes be think of a conceited girl. Don't name anybody this.

I never really liked the name Emily, nor Emma (even though Emma is my name). I always thought it would be better if parents made up their child's name instead of using it over and over again. I don't want to destroy peoples' impression of the name Emily, but I recommend you DO NOT use that as a childs name.

One word YUCK!

I don't hate it, but I don't like this name. It's a bit ugly, and it sounds snobbish or conceited. Emily is a good name for all ages, though.

It would drive me crazy having to have to use my last name ALL the time just to be recognized. I would never put someone through that.

I have also heard Emily be pronounced Ih mill' e. It is harder to pronounce but it sounds nicer than how it is regularly pronounced. It is a pretty name but it is overused now.

Guys, guys, give Emily a break! Just because it's popular doesn't make it a bad name. It's spelled correctly. It's not made up. It is (in my opinion), a pretty, sweet, feminine name. And it's not even the top name any more. It's not my favorite name, but I wouldn't groan with disappointment when I see a little Emily. If you're going to name your daughter Emily, I recommend giving her an uncommon middle name so she has an alternative if she really does have three other Emilys in her class. (Which is highly unlikely.)

Ugh, okay people, just because you know 2 Emilys does not mean the name is uncommon.
Ugh, I mean okay if you asked about 10 random women off the street what their name was I could promise you at least ONE would be named Emily, so common and not pretty at all. If you yelled out EMILY at Disneyland about 25 girls would turn around, I just really don't like this name. Just beware, don't name your kid this.

Emily is a very nice name.

I have known four Emilys in my life. No offense to them, but this name is common and unoriginal. It's getting right up there with Ashley.

I think the name Emily is cute but it is MUCH too common.

This is my name and I have hated it since I was 6. I'm close to 20 now and I'm going to get a name change. My dislike of Emily has nothing to do with its popularity either. I have always been a tomboy and the name Emily is just too frilly and delicate for me. It doesn't suit my personality at all.

A long time ago, I posted that Emily (and some other names) was overused, and I left it at that. However, Emily has grown on me. I can at least see WHY it's popular, like another user stated. It's a beautiful name, with a beautiful sound. True, the face that it means "rival" may be off-putting to some people, but people like Emily Bronte are fantastic namesakes! (I'm not a big fan of Emily Dickinson.) And while Emma is pretty, too, it's (in my opinion) too short/simple for a first name. (For the same reason, I'm not keen on Ann/Anne, either.)
Now, about popularity, Emily is currently #3 in America for girls (behind Isabella and, of course, Emma). It's being encroached by Ava, which I don't mind, and Madison & Addison, both of which I can't STAND and think sound way too trendy and masculine (they end with "son")!
So, here's to hoping Emily stays more popular.

My name is Emily. It took me a long time to like it because of the popularity, but now I think it's a rather classy name. I'm quite proud to have it. It sounds beautiful and it's not a name that's going to sound weird when anyone with it is in their eighties.

I love this name so much however I think it is too popular so I prefer the spelling Emmaleigh as this also incorporates another of my favourite names (Emma). I would also like to use the name Emma but it is also very popular and the name of my cousin so Emmaleigh is a way of having two of my favourite names in one without it being too popular. :)

I think this is a lovely, charming name, but I don't think I'd use it just due to it being too common. If it were nowhere near as common, I would consider using it because it is a beautifully traditional name. :)

Emily is very elegant.

I like Emily but it is WAY too popular in England, every little girl is called this!

This is my name and I simply love it! I was born in 1988 and I've only even known one other person my age with this name. My parents gave me this name because of their love of Emmylou Harris and Emily Dickinson. There was one point in time where I thought it was really girly and I didn't like it but the fact that my parents gave me a name that really meant something to them is why I've grown to love it!

I know a girl called Emily and her middle name is Grace. Emily Grace. It sounds so elegant and pretty!

Emily Baines is the lead singer of metric.

Overused, plain, boring.

I think this is a beautiful name, but it's waaay too overused for me to ever consider giving it to a child.

My sister's name!
Yea, it's popular, but have you thought of all the nicknames that come with this? Emmy, Emma, Emi, Em, Emem, I even call her M&M (not meant to be an insult, just a pet name for her.) Plus, now it's decreasing in popularity. It dropped from #1 to #3 in one year. And it only stayed #1 for about half a decade. My sister doesn't have many problems in class. In fact, I don't believe she's run into any other Emilys in her class. Plus, I had a relative named Emil, which makes it ten times better! So I see nothing wrong with this.

This name has been sickeningly overused, but I still think it's lovely.

I love the name Emily. It's cute and feminine. But I prefer it spelled Emilie.

Until I came to this site I never realized how popular the name "Emily" was. I mean, growing up, I heard it everywhere. Like the character "Emily" in Little Bear. And as I got older, I got into more mature things, I became a big fan of the actress Emily Osment (from Hannah Montana and Dadnapped). And a few years back I had a friend called Emily. I never really had an opinion of this name, it was just something I heard a lot of. I wouldn't name my child this, but I can't hate it because all the Emilys I've known throughout my life are really amazing people and it made me love the name. Besides, it's pretty in and of itself!

This is my little sister's name & it is so pretty! It fits her perfectly! I love this name:)

To me Emily is a very rough name that doesn't slide off your tongue well. I slightly despise the name because it is my cousin's who is evil incarnated...

My name is Emily, and I hate this name sooooo much. I have so many friends with the same name. It's like talking to yourself.

Such a pretty name...

My niece's first name. I love this name for her, mostly because she's so cute. Wuthering Heights is also one of my sister's favorite books, so she loved this name very much.

What's with all the rude comments!? :( My name is Emily and I like my name! :)

This is my name, and while I like it a lot, it's EXTREMELY popular and wherever I go I'm bound to find someone else with this first name. I've gotten really used to going by Emily S., which I don't really like. However, I love the fact that the name ages well, it has a pretty sound, and no one has ever been able to derive an offensive or derogatory nickname from Emily. Overall, go ahead and use this name if you like it, but make sure you like your last name--she'll have to deal with being called "Emily Smith" or whatever quite a bit.

Please stop bashing the name Emily! Just because it is popular, doesn't mean it is a name to be hated! There is a reason Emily is so popular - parents love the name Emily because it is so pretty and classic at the same time. I find Emily to be prettier than Emma, which I think is too "harsh" sounding.

While, yes, this name is extremely popular... But my opinion is not swayed by that factor-- it is simply that "Emily" is a horrendously ugly name. I cannot fully explain the reason for my disgust, only that it possesses a hideous pronunciation and written spelling. Names that end in an "EE" sound typically are very childish... This is case is no different. It is manic senile and geriatric, to be honest.

Emily Rozek is an American stage actress. She is best known as Sutton Foster's cover as the titular character in the Broadway musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and for covering the role of Glinda in the first national touring and LA companies of "Wicked".

Okay, although two of my best friends and my cousin have this name, I'll say it - this name is pretty overused. It's a nice name, yes, but you can't really go anywhere without seeing an Emily. It is a really pretty name though.

Yes, this name is WAY too overused, but I like it. What I don't like are the people who give their poor babies WAY too over-the-top spellings of the name, like Emmuhleiygh. Ick.

Emily is a very beautiful name. A bit on the pink and girly side, but not excessively.

Emily Carr (1871-1945) was a Canadian painter of Expressionist landscapes.

I know a girl who spells her name Emmalee.

This reminds me of a spoiled brat.

Emily Jordan Osment is an American actress.

My name is Emily Kate and sometimes my family runs it together when talking to me. I do not understand why everyone is hating on the name Emily just because it is common or they know someone who they did not like that has this name. I personally love my name and I think it sounds very pretty and classic. I do not think it is modern at all... The reason it is so popular is because it truly is such a beautiful and classic name. Emily was not a very popular name when I was born and I only know two other Emilys. I like it much better than Emma and I think that it will last much longer than these other awful, strangely spelled names like Brayleigh and Kaylee and so on. I just think that it is a pretty timeless name and people need to stop hating.

My friend is called Emily so I'm probably biased but I like this name. I think it's a pretty, respectable name that earned its popularity. It suits a variety of personalities.

Conversely, its popularity means someone is more likely to meet people they don't like with this name, which is why some commenters here have bad associations with it.

My name is Emily and it's an alright name. It's simple, not hard to say, and people remember it easily. Yeah there are times that I wish that my name was more exotic/original but I love it and it seems to suit me too.

This is my name and I love it. I go by Milly and I was named after my great-grandma, Mildred, who died 4 years before I was born. Her dying wish was to have a great-grandchild named Milly but not named Mildred or Millicent or Amelia. So Emily I became.

Nicknames include: Em, Emi, Emmy, Emma, Ejay (my 2nd middle is Jane) and Milly.

I do think it's a sweet name, but I also think it's beyond overused and stale, and has no originality left. An Emily will probably have to put up with at least two other Emilys at school, and that can be very annoying and confusing. Can you imagine going through school as "Emily B." or "Emily J."? It's not a name people are going to go "Wow! How pretty!" at. It's only going to produce an "Oh, another one?"

If you still want to use this name, I beg you, do not try to spell it "Emalee", "Emma-Lee", "Emelie", or other stuff like that, because it's only going to make you look like you can't spell. Why not go instead for a similar name, like Amelia, Emilia, Emilienne, or Emmeline? All are much fresher, underused names.

Emily is the most perfect name ever since it goes well with a lot of last names. It's sounds and looks way more elegant than Emma. It's also musical and literacy gold. There's a lot of songs name Emily and there's a band call Emily's army. So who cares this a common name having this name want to make you different which is a good name for your daughter. Anyway people are so discourage about using this name that pretty soon it's not going to be popular and yet again be usable once more. Either way someday I am going to use this name uncommon or not because my daughter is going to be too awesome to forget. If you think your daughter is awesome enough to not be forgotten by a crowd of Emily's then use this name and don't worry.

I hate this name! Very boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring...
Emma is better.

It is a boring name, everyone is called Emily! I know 8 Emily's. It doesn't mean enything! What's the point in being called Emily? It's not unique, and it is so dull. I hate it!

I've read the comments and I don't know why people are judging the name on just how popular it might be where they live. Also, I've read how some people are disliking the name solely on an unpleasant experience on a girl named Emily.
I'm an Emily and there's only one other in my grade who's not even in my class. There's one two years older than me and another one younger. The other girls are really nice and aren't mean or stuck-up.
My mum chose my name just because she liked it. It was never a back-up name either. She never wanted any of us to have very popular names.

If I am judging this solely on hearing it (and not on the name being overused), I love the name. It's really pretty and flows nicely.

Emily "Emma" Stone is an American actress.

Emilee, is a FABULOUS name!!! That is my 4 year old g-babies name! And yes, SHE IS A PRINCESS!!!! Gigi loves u xoxoxoxo

Emilee, is a FABULOUS name!!! That is my 4 year old g-babies name! And yes, SHE IS A PRINCESS!!!! Gigi loves u xoxoxoxo

Actress Emily Blunt is a famous bearer.

I don't really know why "Emily" is so popular. I thinks it's WAY too common, WAY too overused (I know four Emilys.) and way to preppy. When I think of "Emily" I envision a pretty, Abercrombie-clad blonde rich girl. If you like that, fine, but for me, it sounds kind of dumb.

Name of the Day: May 6, 2013.