Emery

How to say it

/ˈɛm.ə.ri/

What it means

From the Germanic Emmerich (ermen 'whole, universal' + rīc 'ruler'). Same root as Emerich and Almeric; the English Emery was a steady masculine name for centuries before flipping unisex in the 2010s.

Emery comes from the Germanic Emmerich (ermen 'whole, universal' + rīc 'powerful ruler'), the same root that gave us Emmerich, Almeric, and the French Émeric. The name reached England with the Normans in 1066 and stayed in regular use as a masculine first name. The mineral emery (the abrasive used in emery boards) is unrelated, from the Greek smyris. The shift to unisex usage in the US is recent: Emery surged on the feminine side in the early 2010s and is now used more for girls than boys. It entered the US top 200 in 2015. Em is the standard short.

Heads-up notes

• Nickname

  Em is the standard short, shared with Emily and Emma. Some families use Emmy or Mery (rare).

Who's worn it

Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.

• Emery Walker British engraver and printer, central to the Arts and Crafts movement

Spelling variants

• Emory
• Amery

Names with the same feeling

• Avery Elf counsel
• Harper Harp player
• Riley Courageous, valiant
• Quinn Descendant of Conn
• Rowan Little red one, rowan tree

See Emery from another angle