Some very trendy first names are also popular across borders. This is the case of this feminine first name, the most given in France since the 2000s, and which takes the first places on both sides of the globe, all languages combined.
Thanks to their sound, many first names are appreciated by parents around the world. If they can pronounce themselves in all languages, there is a good chance that they will be very successful in many countries. This is particularly the case of the first name Sofia or Olivia, but also of another feminine first name, which is the most given to little girls since the 2000s. Of Germanic origin, it means “universal” and is positioned at 5th place in the top 20 female first names in 2024. A trendy first name therefore, which seems to defy borders, as specified by the Official First Names (First editions).
Indeed, in the United States, Canada, Quebec, Argentina, Chile, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Norway and even Spain… The first name Emma is propelled to the top of the most fashionable first names. Not to mention the many other countries which rank this pretty first name in 10th place. Emma is also widely attributed in Great Britain, and for good reason, this first name refers to the novel by Jane Austen published in the 18th century and which is at its origin. Throughout French literature, we find Emma, as the heroine of Gustave Flaubert’s novel, Madame de Bovary, published in 1857. But this short first name with singing sounds was nevertheless “forgotten” for almost a century in France , before returning in the 1990s, experiencing a meteoric rise from the 2000s.
Moreover, in 2005, the first name Emma dethroned Léa and “reigned over the female rankings for 14 years, surpassing the longevity of her predecessor”, specify the authors of the work, Stéphanie Rapoport and Claire Tabarly Perrin. This success helped to consolidate the return of the trend of retro first names.
Finally, if you like the name Emma or you know someone around you who bears it, know that certain actresses have also contributed to the growing success of this pretty name. We can notably cite Emma Thompson, Emma de Caunes, Emma Stone and Emma Watson. Today, the first name Emma is given to nearly one in 120 little girls and still has a bright future ahead of it.