How to say it
EM · mett
ˈɛm.ɪt
Masculine
Emmett
Industrious, strong
What it means
From the Germanic Emmerich (ermen 'whole, universal' + ric 'powerful') via a medieval English diminutive. Same root family as Emery. Doc Brown of Back to the Future and Robert Emmet the Irish revolutionary cover two cultural anchors.
Emmett comes from the Germanic Emmerich (ermen 'whole, universal' + ric 'powerful ruler') via medieval English diminutive forms. The same root that gave us Emery and Emerson. Robert Emmet (the Irish revolutionary executed in 1803 for leading an uprising against British rule) anchored the name in Irish-American naming for generations. Emmett Brown ('Doc Brown' from Back to the Future, played by Christopher Lloyd, 1985-1990) gave the name decisive Gen-X pop-culture anchor. The Twilight series's Emmett Cullen added a 2000s vampire reference. The name has been climbing the US charts since the 2000s and entered the top 100 in 2017. Single short forms aren't common; Em is shared with the broader Em- family.
How to spell Emmett
The standard spelling is Emmett. Common variants include Emmet, Emmit, but Emmett is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #103 in 2021, currently #121 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Doc Emmett Brown (Back to the Future) is the dominant Gen-X anchor; Twilight's Emmett Cullen is the millennial one; Emmett Till the 14-year-old murdered in 1955 is the civil-rights weight some families carry.
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.
- Doc Emmett Brown Christopher Lloyd's character in Back to the Future
- Robert Emmet Irish revolutionary executed for the 1803 Dublin rising, 1778-1803
Spelling variants
- Emmet
- Emmit
Names with the same feeling
See Emmett from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Emmett mean?
- From the Germanic Emmerich (ermen 'whole, universal' + ric 'powerful') via a medieval English diminutive. Same root family as Emery. Doc Brown of Back to the Future and Robert Emmet the Irish revolutionary cover two cultural anchors.
- What does Emmett mean in Germanic?
- In Germanic, Emmett means "Industrious, strong." Emmett comes from the Germanic Emmerich (ermen 'whole, universal' + ric 'powerful ruler') via medieval English diminutive forms. The same root that gave us Emery and Emerson. Robert Emmet (the Irish revolutionary executed in 1803 for leading an uprising against British rule) anchored the name in Irish-American naming for generations. Emmett Brown ('Doc Brown' from Back to the Future, played by Christopher Lloyd, 1985-1990) gave the name decisive Gen-X pop-culture anchor. The Twilight series's Emmett Cullen added a 2000s vampire reference. The name has been climbing the US charts since the 2000s and entered the top 100 in 2017. Single short forms aren't common; Em is shared with the broader Em- family.
- How do you pronounce Emmett?
- Emmett is pronounced ˈɛm.ɪt. Say it as EM-mett, with the stress on the "em" syllable.
- How do you spell Emmett?
- The standard spelling is Emmett. Common spelling variants include Emmet, Emmit.
- Is Emmett a boy or girl name?
- Emmett is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Emmett?
- Emmett ranked #121 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.