Emile

♂ Boy

Pronounced uh-MEEL /ə.ˈmil/Medium

Meaning: French form of the Roman family name Aemilius, from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival' or 'emulating, striving to excel'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Emile is the French form of the Roman family name Aemilius, from Latin 'aemulus', 'rival' or 'striving to excel'.

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Origin MediumFrench, Latin

MeaningFrench form of the Roman family name Aemilius, from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival' or 'emulating, striving to excel'.

U.S. rank (2024)#1918 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births82 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1922

Total births (all-time)≈ 8,570

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

History & Origin

Behind Emile lies the old Roman clan name Aemilius, whose Latin root 'aemulus' meant a rival or one who emulates and strives to outdo. French smoothed Aemilius into Emile, and the name spread alongside its plainer cousin Emil. The striving, competitive sense of the root has stayed attached to it across languages.

French politics offers two bearers: Émile Ollivier (1825-1913) and Émile Loubet (1838-1929). The name shifts easily between forms such as Emil, Emili, and the original Aemilius, so spelling often signals which language a family is leaning toward.

Did you know? The meaning attached to Emile is 'rival, emulating, striving to excel', from the Latin Aemilius, and that aspirational core is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Emile — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

EmiléEmilėAemiliusEmilEmili

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Émile Ollivier (1825–1913)
Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.
★Émile Loubet (1838–1929)
Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Emile…

Emil— the shorter same-root form listed among Emile's variations

Emilio— the Spanish and Italian relative drawn from the same Aemilius line

Emiliano— an extended form rooted in the same Aemilius family name

Frequently Asked

What does the name Emile mean?

Emile means 'rival, emulating, striving to excel'; it is the French form of the Latin name Aemilius. It is most often linked with French and English tradition.

How do you pronounce Emile?

It's commonly said uh-MEEL /ə.ˈmil/.

Is Emile a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Emile is used as a boy name.

How popular is Emile?

In 2024, Emile ranked #1918 in the U.S. for boys, with 82 births recorded.