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Original poster

What era do you think of more when you hear the name Emily, the late 1800s/early 1900s or the second wave of popularity in the 1990s/2000s?

34 replies

SavlaRae8 · 13/06/2025 17:30

Even though emily statistically had the most popularity in the 90s/2000s, 100 years earlier it was also used a fair amount, albeit it wasn’t in top 5 popular in the 1900s but it was a well known name. Emily fell out of the top 100 in the 1920s, joined again the in 70s and reached its peak as the top name in the late 90s/early 2000s.It’s definitely classic but it fell out of favour for a very long time before being rediscovered.

There’s alot of names with a similar generation cycle to Emily like Olivia, Isabella, Lily etc which had fallen out of favour and were seen as old fashioned but then get popular again with parents who didn’t know people with those names when they were kids so it sounded fresh to them.

So it got me wondering what era of Emily do people think of most in 2025 when they hear the name. The Victorian days of the name Emily being in use or Emily’s second wave of popularity as the top name from the late 90s into the 00s?

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TulipTuesday · 14/06/2025 10:30

I think of the early 2000s.
Only because that’s when my boys were born and they went to nursery and school with millions (slight exaggeration) of Emilys.

Viviennemary · 14/06/2025 10:28

It's a kitchen maids name. It's not awful but rather twee.

workshyfop · 14/06/2025 10:26

My first association is with Bagpuss, then Emily Brontë and Emily Bishop from Coronation Street.

I think of it as a classic English name.

LavenderBlue19 · 14/06/2025 10:18

I think of it as a very classic name - I know/knew one born in the early 1900s, the early 1980s, the early 2000s, and there's one in my six year old son's class.

LegoLandslide · 14/06/2025 10:14

We were at soft play last week and there were only three other children there- two Emily's and an Emilia, all under 4.

It had a definite moment in the 90s/00s but hasn't really gone away.

FloraBotticelli · 14/06/2025 10:00

Emily seems to pop up in discussion often. Must still be a popular choice. It just reminds me of Emily in the earlier seasons of Friends tbh, so 1990s.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/baby_names/5333645-was-emily-a-posh-name-before-it-became-popular-in-the-90s00s

NotISaidTheCat · 14/06/2025 09:54

I think of Emily of New Moon (by LM Montgomery, who wrote Anne of Green Gables) -- so late Victorian or Edwardian times. But I think 'Emily' is timeless, and a lovely name.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 14/06/2025 09:52

It’s been popular for decades so I don’t think of it as a particularly Victorian name, more as a general classic.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 14/06/2025 06:51

I just think of it as a normal, popular name. Same with Olivia and Isabelle/Isabella. I teach in a girls' school and there are lots of Emilys, Isabelles and Olivias and always have been in my 40 years of teaching. I don't think of them as historical or old-fashioned names at all.

CurlewKate · 14/06/2025 06:39

Enily was popular in the 1990s-there were several in my dd’s school year and she was born in 1995. But my mother was discouraged from calling me Emily in the 1960s-it was her favorite girl’s name because “it was so old fashioned-she will hate you for it!”. So I think you just can’t second guess names. My aforementioned dd, by the way, is called Grace. We chose it because it was classic and very unusual but not wacky. For the first year of her life it was!

Avantiagain · 14/06/2025 06:12

My first thought is Emily Bronte.

hoxtonE1 · 13/06/2025 21:34

It's funny you should ask that.
Every time I've read the name Emily suggested as a DDs name, in my mind it harks back to Victorian times and I picture a lovely lady in Victorian dress and hair style, real Emily Brontë era.
Funnily enough, Emily's sisters were Charlotte and Anne, two other names that have enjoyed a come back recently.

Norastroud · 13/06/2025 21:23

I appreciate Emily is a gorgeous classic name & makes he think of Emily Bronte but I do know an awful lot of Emily’s & Emma’s born in late 80’s & 90’s! I’ve met a few young Emma’s recently so I think it’s becoming popular again.

MrsKateColumbo · 13/06/2025 20:59

I know LOADS of Emilys my age (late 30s/early 40s) I think this was the first wave after the victorian period but I see this name as 1987 onwards

Enko · 13/06/2025 20:41

I think 1990 to 2000 i dont think its beautiful classic or timeless. To me its dull.

IzzyHandsIsMySpiritAnimal · 13/06/2025 20:05

ignatiusjreilly · 13/06/2025 17:36

I know Emilys from all generations so I think of it as a very timeless, classic name.

Same. I have Emily's in my family tree stretching back to well over 100 years ago, nearer 150 years.

Perspectiveis · 13/06/2025 20:05

I think of both eras. It’s a beautiful and timeless name.

MidnightPatrol · 13/06/2025 20:04

I think of it as fairly classic, but I would associate it as current / 90s rather than Victorian.

Funnily enough I know or 3 or 4 little Emily’s so maybe it’s coming back in.

EmpressaurusKitty · 13/06/2025 20:03

Poledra · 13/06/2025 19:37

I have one word - Bagpuss. So I guess your first timescale.

Bagpuss here too.

cloudbusting123 · 13/06/2025 20:02

I had an Emily in my year at school (early noughties) I think it’s a really timeless name.

Poledra · 13/06/2025 19:37

I have one word - Bagpuss. So I guess your first timescale.

limpingparrot · 13/06/2025 19:30

My sil age 40, there are 2 in my 9 years olds class and 1 in my 5 year olds class, so very current !

suburburban · 13/06/2025 19:26

Lovely name and fits both eras.

RuthW · 13/06/2025 19:21

I think of Emilys born 1990- 2005

cariadlet · 13/06/2025 18:44

Classic and timeless to me. I don't associate it with any particular decade.

Although I do now have "See Emily Play" going round in my head which is a nice earworm to have.