Emmett

The masculine name Emmett began its journey in Middle English as a diminutive of the Germanic Emma. With meanings like "whole," "exalted," and "great," it's no wonder Emmett has remained an enduring favorite that perfectly balances country charm with nerdy chic. Emmett has an understated dreaminess that will help your kiddo feel confident in all that they do. Emmett is one of those rare names that maintains a modern vibe despite its centuries-long history, so we agree with The Bump member FakeFinn when they say: "I'm really into old-fashioned names and I like that Emmett is old, but feels fresh."

Fun Facts About the Name Emmett

• Emmett's beginnings as "Little Emma": To create a sweet nickname or a diminutive for a child, medieval English speakers added the suffix -ot or -et, resulting in Emmot or Emmett, literally meaning "little Emma." Over the centuries, it became a standalone last name, eventually transforming into a powerful first name for boys.
• Emmett's Twilight era: According to the SSA historical charts, Emmett spent decades as a steady but relatively quiet "grandpa name," lingering down in the #400s and #500s during the late 20th century. That all changed in the late 2000s. Thanks to the iconic Twilight saga, which features a vampire named Emmett Cullen, and the lovable, eccentric Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown from Back to the Future, the name surged up the charts. It broke into the Top 100 in 2019.
• Emmett's unofficial connection to ants: If you travel to Cornwall or certain parts of rural England, "emmet" has a completely different meaning. In old English dialects, emmet was the colloquial word for an ant (derived from the Old English æmette). Today, locals in Cornwall still playfully use the term "emmets" to describe the summer crowds of tourists swarming the beaches—though this has nothing to do with the noble history of the given name!