UK name, mostly girls
Emi
A Japanese feminine name meaning "blessed with beauty".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Emi is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Emi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1198, with 28 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 28 births.
This profile covers 438 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Emi is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 448 living people in the UK are called Emi. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Emi ranked #1198 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 28 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 28 girls were registered as Emi.
- • Emi ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #790 in 2024.
- • About 448 living people in the UK are estimated to have Emi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 98.0% of Emi registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1198
2024
Births in 2024
28
Latest year
Peak year
2024
28 births
Estimated living
448
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Emi
In England and Wales birth records, Emi has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 2.0% of registrations are for boys and 98.0% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Emi registered for boys
- Ranked #5,119 in 2024
- 3 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (3 births)
Emi registered for girls
- Ranked #1,198 in 2024
- 28 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (28 births)
Meaning
What does Emi mean?
The name Emi has its origins in Japanese culture, where it is a feminine given name. The name is derived from the Japanese word "emi," which means "beautiful blessing" or "smile." It is a relatively modern name that gained popularity in Japan in the late 20th century.
In Japanese mythology, Emi is also the name of a minor goddess associated with beauty and fertility. Although not a prominent figure in ancient texts, her name may have contributed to the appeal of the name Emi for parents seeking a name with positive connotations.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Emi dates back to the late 19th century. Emi Fibiger, born in 1868, was a Danish film actress and one of the first female movie stars in Denmark. She appeared in numerous silent films during the early days of Danish cinema.
In the realm of literature, Emi Wada, born in 1891, was a Japanese novelist and essayist known for her works exploring the lives of women in early 20th-century Japan. Her novel "Oshare Musume" ("A Modern Girl") was a notable work that challenged traditional gender roles.
Emi Howe, born in 1901, was a Japanese-American artist and sculptor best known for her ceramic works. She played a significant role in introducing Japanese artistic traditions to the United States and was a pioneer in promoting cross-cultural exchange through art.
Emi Sunada, born in 1914, was a Japanese singer and actress who achieved stardom in the post-World War II era. She was known for her powerful vocal range and her ability to perform both traditional Japanese music and contemporary pop songs.
Emi Sakahara, born in 1937, is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives for several terms. She has been a vocal advocate for women's rights and has worked to promote gender equality in Japanese politics and society.
These individuals, spanning different eras and fields, have contributed to the rich history and cultural significance of the name Emi. While its origins are rooted in Japanese tradition, the name has transcended borders and gained recognition worldwide, reflecting its enduring appeal and positive connotations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Emi over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Emi in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Emi, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 28 births in 2024, compared with 28 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Emi by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Emi was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1479 | 108 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1554 | 197 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1981 | 114 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2462 | 19 | 3 |
Geography
Where Emi is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Emi. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Emi ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #790 in 2024.
Across the UK
Emi in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#790 in 2024
4 years of NRS records, 12 total registered
Related
Names similar to Emi
- Emily 121,621
- Ella 69,101
- Ellie 63,522
- Evie 52,944
- Emma 50,755
- Eleanor 40,576
- Elizabeth 39,225
- Erin 34,816
- Eva 29,738
- Evelyn 26,911
- Elsie 23,671
- Emilia 22,167
FAQ
Emi: questions and answers
How popular is the name Emi in the UK right now?
In 2024, Emi was ranked #1198 for girls in England and Wales, with 28 births registered.
When was Emi most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 28 babies registered as Emi in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Emi?
A Japanese feminine name meaning "blessed with beauty".
How many people are called Emi in the UK?
A total of 438 babies have been registered as Emi across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 12 more in Scotland.
Where is Emi most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Emi ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #790 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.