Emma (given name)

Emma is a feminine given name. It is derived from the Germanic word ermen, meaning "whole" or "universal". It likely originated as a short form of names such as Ermengarde or Ermentrude. The first woman bearing the name to appear in written sources is Emma of Austrasia, the Frankish wife of Eadbald of Kent. Its popularity in the Middle Ages increased because it was the name of Emma of Normandy, mother of Edward the Confessor. Emmeline is a Norman variant of that was introduced to England by the Norman invaders in the 11th century. The name is etymologically unrelated to Amalia, Amelia, Emilia, and Emily, but all these names have been associated with each other due to their similarity in appearance and sound. Emma has been used as a short form of some of these names, and it shares diminutives such as Em or Emmy with them.