Entry № 0368 · Latin origin

Emilia Emilia — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ eh-MEE-lee-ah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Latin
Meaning
"Rival, eager"
Syllables
4
Rank · US 2025
№ 92
First recorded
Ancient (Roman)

A name that means "rival, eager".

Emilia comes from the Latin Aemilia, the feminine of the Roman family name Aemilius — possibly from aemulus, meaning "rival" or "eager." The same root gives Amelia (which entered English via the Germanic line) and Emily (the simpler English form). All three names converge on similar sounds with subtly different histories.

Emilia rose dramatically in the U.S. after the British actress Emilia Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones (2011-2019). Today Emilia sits in the U.S. top 100. The Italian and Spanish spelling Emilia carries different cultural weight from the English Emily or Germanic Amelia.

Rival. The Italian-Spanish form of an English-Germanic family.

Where Emilia stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 92 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 92 in 2025
Babies named Emilia · last year
3,024 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1900
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · №92 NOW · №92

Emilias before her.

Real people
Emilia Clarke
British actress, Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones.
born 1986
Emilia Pérez
Title of the 2024 musical film by Jacques Audiard.
In fiction
Emilia
Iago's wife in Shakespeare's Othello.
1604 play

Names connected to Emilia.

The number behind Emilia.

7

The Seeker

Emilia reduces to seven — the number of eager depth.

Why families chose this name.

"Italian, classical, with three short forms (Emi, Mia, Lia) ready to use. Emilia worked."
Sofia · Mother of one · Milan