Emil
/?e?.m?l/ · 2 syllables
♂ Male ◎ Latin ◈ 2 syllables
"Rival, industrious, striving"

From Latin

Emil means rival or industrious — from the Latin Aemilius. Emil Zola IS one of literature's most courageous — his J'accuse changed history. Astrid Lindgren's Emil IS Sweden's most beloved. Two syllables of literature's-most-courageous, J'accuse-changed-history, and Sweden's-most-beloved.

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Emil at a glance
MeaningRival, industrious, striving
OriginLatin
GenderMale
Syllables2
NumerologyLife Path 3
US Rank (today)#1263
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Why parents love Emil
  • Émile Zola IS literature's most courageous — J'accuse.
  • J'accuse CHANGED history.
  • Lindgren's Emil IS Sweden's most beloved character.
  • Two syllables with an elegant, European sound: EH-mil.
  • The meaning rival IS competitively aspirational.
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The vibe of Emil
rivalindustriousLatinAemiliusZolaJ'accusecourageouschanged historyLindgrenSweden
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Origin & history of Emil
Latin Aemilius (rival) → European Emil
1
Latin roots
Emil IS the European form meaning rival. Zola's J'accuse changed history. Lindgren's Emil IS Sweden's most beloved.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Latin; Émile Zola (1840–1902); Lindgren's Emil.
3
Today
Emil remains a beloved choice, ranking #1263 in the US. 33,073 babies have been named Emil since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Emil?
1917 peak year
Today, Emil is rarely chosen — ranked well outside the top 1,000 (around #1263), with only about 152 babies given the name per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1917, 1,004 babies were given the name (ranked #137 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 1920s. Emil's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 33,073 babies have been registered as Emil since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
1,004 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #137)
152 Avg. per year
(last decade)
1,520 Total registrations
last 10 years
33,073 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #1,263) Moderate
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
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Numerology of Emil
3
Life path number
The Creator
Creativity, joy and self-expression.

Emil's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — courageous seeking. People named Emil tend to be elegant, courageous, and gifted at J'accuse changing history AND being Sweden's most beloved.

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J'accuse changed history AND Sweden's beloved
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Zola-courageous
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Lindgren-Emil
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Latin-rival
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European-elegant
E5
M4
I9
L3
Sum: 21 → Life path 3
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Personality of Emil
✨
Bright & creative
Imaginative, expressive, endlessly inventive.
😊
Magnetic warmth
Their laugh is contagious. People love being near them.
🌈
Eternal optimist
Even in dark moments they find the light.
🗣️
Storyteller
They can describe anything and make it fascinating.
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Famous people named Emil

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Names that sound like Emil

If you love Emil, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.

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Names that combine with Emil

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Emil.

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Middle names for Emil

The right middle name turns Emil into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

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Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Emil is a beautiful choice.
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