What Does the Name Emerson Mean?
Emerson is a unisex name of Germanic origin meaning “son of Emery (brave, powerful).”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Emerson |
|---|---|
| Gender | unisex |
| Origin | Germanic |
| Meaning | son of Emery (brave, powerful) |
| Variants | Emery, Emery, Emersyn, Emmerson |
| Popularity | A top-200 US name for girls in the 2010s-2020s, having overtaken its use for boys while remaining unisex. |
The meaning and origin of Emerson
The name Emerson means “son of Emery (brave, powerful)” and has Germanic origins. An English surname meaning 'son of Emery,' from the Germanic name Emery/Amalric meaning 'brave power.' Once chiefly a boys' name, it surged for girls in the US in the 2010s.
Variants and related names
Emerson is related to several other names you may recognize: Emery, Emery, Emersyn, Emmerson. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Emerson?
A top-200 US name for girls in the 2010s-2020s, having overtaken its use for boys while remaining unisex.
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Emerson mean?+
The name Emerson means “son of Emery (brave, powerful)” and is of Germanic origin.
What is the origin of the name Emerson?+
Emerson originates from Germanic.
Is Emerson a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Emerson has trended in the US over time.
Emerson by gender
More unisex names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press