Emily (English)
Where does "Emily" come from?
The name Emily derives from the Latin name Aemilia, which was the family name of a prominent Roman gens. This name traces its roots back to the Latin adjective aemulus, meaning 'rival' or 'emulator.' Over time, it evolved into an English feminine given name, preserving its ancient connection to the act of competing or striving to equal someone.
Full etymology tree
- Emily (English), 'A female given name from Latin.'
- derived Aemilia (Latin), 'A feminine praenomen.'
- derived Aemilius (Latin), 'A Roman gens name.'
- derived aemulus (Latin), 'striving to equal or excel, rivaling'
- inherited *aimelos (Proto-Italic), 'striving to equal or excel, rivaling'
- inherited *aimos (Proto-Indo-European)
- derived *h₂eym- (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *aimos (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *aimelos (Proto-Italic), 'striving to equal or excel, rivaling'
- derived aemulus (Latin), 'striving to equal or excel, rivaling'
- derived Aemilius (Latin), 'A Roman gens name.'
- derived Aemilia (Latin), 'A feminine praenomen.'
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris