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At a Glance: Name: Emerson – Meaning: son of Emery (or, per an alternate theory, Anglo-Saxon 'Emar's son') – Origin: English (surname: 'Emery's son', possibly Anglo-Saxon 'Emar's son') – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: EM-ur-sun
Emerson started out as an English surname meaning "son of Emery," though some trace it instead to the Anglo-Saxon "Emar's son." Today it's used as a given name for any gender, said EM-ur-sun (/ˈɛmərsən/), and tends to get grouped with modern, minimalist names that still feel a little bold. If you're weighing it for a child, you're picking a name with roots in lineage and family naming rather than in nature, virtue, or myth.
Meaning & Origin of Emerson
Meaning: Son of emery (or, per an alternate theory, anglo-saxon 'emar's son').
Origin: English (surname: 'Emery's son', possibly Anglo-Saxon 'Emar's son').
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Emerson
Phonetic: EM-ur-sun IPA: /ˈɛmərsən/
Popularity of Emerson
Emerson has held steady in the U.S. for years: it peaked at #143 in 2018 with 1,948 babies given the name, and by 2024 it sat close behind at #151 with 1,965 babies — a name that's slightly more common in raw numbers now, even as its rank has dipped a touch.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Emerson Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Emerson, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Emerson mean?
Son of emery (or, per an alternate theory, anglo-saxon ’emar’s son’). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Emerson)
How do you pronounce Emerson?
Emerson is pronounced EM-ur-sun (IPA: /ˈɛmərsən/).
Is Emerson a popular name right now?
Emerson is near its all-time peak (#143 in 2018), ranked #151 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Emerson? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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