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Emelda

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Emelda

Pronounced eh-MEL-duh /ɛˈmɛl.də/Medium

Meaning: Emelda is a variant of Imelda, a name of Germanic origin from irmin, 'whole' or 'universal', and hild, 'battle'. Popularized in Catholic tradition by the Blessed Imelda, it reached America with Italian and Hispanic families; Emelda is its softened E-spelling.Medium

In 30 seconds: Emelda is a variant of Imelda, from Germanic roots meaning 'universal battle' (said 'eh-MEL-duh'). It was a rare heritage girls' name.

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Origin MediumEnglish, Germanic

MeaningEmelda is a variant of Imelda, a name of Germanic origin from irmin, 'whole' or 'universal', and hild, 'battle'. Popularized in Catholic tradition by the Blessed Imelda, it reached America with Italian and Hispanic families; Emelda is its softened E-spelling.

U.S. rank (2019)#16255 ↘ Falling

2019 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1926

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,396

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Emelda is an E-spelled form of Imelda, built from the Germanic irmin, 'whole' or 'universal', and hild, 'battle'. Strong in Italy, Spain and Latin America and tied to the Blessed Imelda, it reached the United States with Catholic immigrant families and appears in the record from the early twentieth century.

It was always a modest, heritage-flavored choice — a few dozen girls a year at most around its faint nineteen-twenties peak — though the spelling recurs into recent decades. It reads as richly old-world and has not broadly revived.

Did you know? Emelda echoes Imelda, a name carried in Catholic devotion after the Blessed Imelda Lambertini — its warrior-flavored 'battle' roots softened by a saintly association.

Overall data confidence 55%

References — Emelda — variant of Imelda; Germanic irmin 'universal' + hild 'battle'

Variations

ImeldaEmildaEmelde

Nicknames

MellieMelda

Famous Bearers

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If you like Emelda…

Imelda— the parent name, from the same Germanic roots

Griselda— a fellow -elda Germanic girls' name

Romelia— another ornate heritage name of the era

Elfrieda— lands in the same popularity range

Ethelda— shares the -da ending

Explore names like Emelda

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Emelda mean?

Emelda is a variant of Imelda, from Germanic roots meaning 'whole' or 'universal battle'.

How do you pronounce Emelda?

It's said eh-MEL-duh /ɛˈmɛl.də/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Emelda a boy or girl name?

Emelda is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Emelda?

Emelda is rare, a vintage heritage variant of Imelda most seen in the early twentieth century.