Emmeline is a unique and elegant given name of English origin. It is derived from the medieval French name Amelina, which itself comes from the Germanic elements "amal" meaning "work" or "endeavor," and "-hild" meaning "battle." Therefore, Emmeline can be translated to mean "work in battle" or "ready for battle."
The name Emmeline gained popularity during the Victorian era in England, when it was often used as a nickname for Amelia. It was also occasionally used as an independent given name. Today, Emmeline is still considered somewhat unusual, but its distinctiveness makes it appealing to those seeking a unique name for their child.
One notable historical figure named Emmeline is Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928), a British political activist and leader of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), which played a significant role in campaigning for women's suffrage. Her daughter, also named Christabel Pankhurst, was active in her mother's efforts to secure voting rights for women.
In literature, Emmeline appears as a character in Charlotte Brontë's novel "Shirley" (1849), although it is not the protagonist's name in this instance. In more recent years, the name has been used by authors such as Meg Wolitzer ("The Interestings," 2013) and Paula Hawkins ("Into the Water," 2017).
While Emmeline may not be a household name, its English origins, elegant sound, and historical significance make it an attractive choice for parents looking to bestow their child with a distinctive name.
Based on the statistics provided, we can observe the trends and popularity of the name Emmeline in the United States over time.
From 1888 to 1923, there were varying numbers of births with the name Emmeline, ranging from a low of 5 births in several years to a peak of 22 births in 1921. After this period, the number of births with the name Emmeline decreased significantly until 1967 when it reached another low point of 5 births.
However, starting in 1969, there was a noticeable increase in the popularity of the name Emmeline. The number of births steadily rose from 7 in 1969 to 32 in 1989. This trend continued throughout the 1990s, with the highest number of births recorded being 44 in 1998.
The early 2000s saw a further increase in the popularity of the name Emmeline. The number of births peaked at 369 in 2017 and has remained relatively high since then, with 359 births in 2018, 347 births in 2019, and 310 births in 2020.
Overall, the name Emmeline has experienced periods of both low and high popularity throughout history. However, it appears that since the late 1960s, there has been a consistent increase in its usage as a baby name in the United States. As of 2022, the total number of births with the name Emmeline is 5582.