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Baby Names:

Emma

Meaning: Healer of the universe

Origin: German

Alternate spellings: Ema, Emmy, Emme

Emma, be glad your name has evolved from its forerunners, Emintrude and Irmgard. Oh, we think both names are classic, but we don’t remember anyone asking Irmgard to the prom.

Emma’s a Germanic name that roughly means “healer of the universe.” That’s a lot for your baby daughter to live up to, parents, but we’re sure she’ll be a professional at cheering you up on gloomy days. The name had a heyday in the early 1900s, dropped way down for decades, then started a quick ascent in the late seventies. When Ross and Rachel gave the name to their daughter in a 2002 episode of Friends, the name jumped from #13 (2001) to #4 (2002), and it took the #1 spot from sister Emily in 2008. Twilight-fueled Isabella knocked poor Emma down after just one year, but Emma’s still a hot pick among parents.