Emil

Updated: September 28, 2021 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Emil is a traditional baby boy’s name of Latin origin meaning “rival”. Emil was popular for most of the 20th century but fell out of fashion in the mid-1980’s. Despite the trend of early 20th century names becoming popular once more, Emil has been overlooked.

Meaning of the name Emil:

Latin: rival

Origin of the name Emil:

Emil is a baby boy’s name of Latin origin. Emil means “rival” and is derived from the Latin term “aemulus”. Emil was originally a surname in the form of Aemilius before being adapted into a given name.

Symbolism of the name Emil:

Emil means “rival” which brings to mind competitions like sporting events. To the Ancient Romans, the symbol of victory was a wreath of bay laurel that was worn as a crown.

Style of the name Emil:

traditional

Gender of the name Emil:

Emil is a boy's name.

Pronunciation of the name Emil:

ə-MEEL, EHM-il (English), EH-mil (Swedish, Czech) EH-meel (German, Slovak, Hungarian), EHN-myeel (Polish), eh-MYEEL (Russian)

Number of syllables in the name Emil:

two

Emotion evoked from the name Emil:

Emil evokes feelings of hard work and tradition.

Alternative spellings for the name Emil:

Amil, Emyl, Emeel

Nicknames for the name Emil:

Em
Emy
Mil
Milo

Popularity of the name Emil:

According to the Social Security Administration, Emil was a popular baby boy’s name for most of the 20th century. Emil was on the top 1000 names from 1900 to 1984. It peaked at #136 in 1901.