Emma....this name poses a dilemma...

[Chickenharissa]

Hi,

Is it just me or is Emma making a comeback?

I am a child of the 80s and I was sick of the overused Emma, it never gave me “classic” vibes.

However all of a sudden now I’m falling in love with Emma. I don’t know if it’s the pregnancy hormones? Or the recent movie release of Jane Austen’s “Emma”. However now I see it through classic and traditional tinted glasses. As well as it being associated with the elegant Emma Watson....

Amelia is so overused now, and Emily is classic but is so cute, that Emma seems so....understated and simply classic.
Is Emma making a comeback? Or is it dated and are my hormones playing up?

Love it

To me it's quite dated. It's fairly inoffensive though.

I like it. But having Dundonian family means I hear it as “I’m a” so it’s hilarious with some surnames... and just mildly amusing with many.

I love it and would use it myself. I wouldn't say it's classic, but it is lovely and I view it in the same terms as "Laura" for example- some people would think both are dated but I think they're great.

Although it is a classic name, to me it’s very 80’s.

I feel the same about Emma! It was popular when I was at school so I couldn't name my DD it (as i think of 2 girls I hate in particular) but It was a name I kept coming back to. I agree it is the classic, feminine vibe that's trendy again but also seems fresh?

It’s ok ish

Meh for me

I think it’s lovely

I liked Emma for my baby daughter but one of my best friends is an Emma so it would have been too weird!

It's never really gone out of fashion. It's my favourite name but couldn't use it as I had my lovely boys. I like that it's a name with so much history behind it, as it's been in use since the middle ages. Timeless and classic sums it up perfectly.

....there’s not much that rhymes with Emma
Except the actor Richard Brenner
(He played the commanding officer in Rambo!)...

Sorry couldn’t proceed without the above. It’s a beautiful, timeless name.

Big fan of Emma. I grew up in the 80's and knew a fair few Emmas. But unlike @DanniArthur I've only known nice ones (I've known some awful Carolines though).

Oh I find Laura dated... I also find Rachel, Rebecca and Jessica dated also.

Emily I see as on par with Sophie (not dated)

But Emma...seems fresh in my eyes. Maybe it is the hormones then...

My DD, born in 1970, has this name. So I'm biased. I really didnt care if She was the first or 5001st with that name. What on earth does it matter? I liked the name, so, there you go. If you like it, go with it

I think it's fresh. There was another thread about Emma this week so I definitely think it's making a comeback. I just hope it doesn't get TOO popular though!

Emma is lovely. But so is Phoebe and Monica or Rachel 😘 But maybe not Pheobo or Princess Consuela Banana Hammock

Love it also love Anna & Lucy which I think are similar

I’ve just posted about this name on another thread. I actually think it’s a great name. It was very popular from about the 70s to the early 90s, then for a few years it seemed dated to me.

I’d expect it to come back into fashion in about 30 years’ time, but there’s no law that says you can’t use it before then. It is a lovely name, it’s easy to spell and pronounce and it’s unlikely there will be two other Emmas in her class at school.

My DD’s name is fairly uncommon in the UK. Another new mum said “oh, that’s unusual!” Her own daughter was called Natasha, which is actually far more unusual than DD’s name nowadays. I thought Natasha was a clever choice, familiar, but underused these days. I suppose what I’m saying is, if you love Emma, then go for it!

Child of the 80s here too and it was very popular when I was at school. I can remember when rachel called her baby Emma in Friends, I thought ‘really?’ because because it seemed dated to me. I much prefer Emily because it’s really timeless and beautiful to me (though obviously that wouldn’t have worked well on Friends ).

I think it's a good name but just not very exciting. Very middle of the road and suburban, like Sarah or Rachel. I would prefer Emily to Emma, Emily is as classic if not more so and has a bit more mystery/elegance to it. I do prefer slightly fancier or longer names where possible though eg Emily vs Emma, Adeline to Ada, Natasha vs Natalie for example, but that's just personal preference.

I also read it's making a comeback, could be in the USA though not UK.

It is really bland I feel.

Yes in USA it’s been number 1 for ages...perhaps “Friends” set the trend. In the US, Emily on the other hand is seen as somewhat dated as it was previously number 1 a decade ago.

Amelia will probably rise in the charts for them also.

DarkDarkNight, I thought exactly the same thing re. Emma in Friends. That was a while ago, though.

Foals, I’m kind of the opposite, because nearly all of my favourite girls’ names end in “a”. Like you say, that’s just personal preference.

Emma is lovely. My grandmother was called Emma and she was born in the 19th Century!