The name Emely is a variant of the German name Emily, which is derived from the Latin name Aemilia. The name Aemilia has its roots in the Roman family name Aemilius, which is believed to have originated from the Latin word "aemulus," meaning "rivaling" or "striving."

The name Emely gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in Central and Northern Europe. It was often used as a feminine form of the masculine name Emil or Emile. The earliest recorded use of the name Emely can be traced back to the 13th century in Germany and the Netherlands.

Historically, the name Emely has been associated with several notable figures. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Emely van Nassau (1305-1359), a Dutch noblewoman who was the Countess of Nassau-Hadamar. Another notable figure was Emely von Wittelsbach (1460-1512), a German princess from the House of Wittelsbach.

In literature, the name Emely appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale" from his Canterbury Tales, written in the late 14th century. The character Emely is the sister of the Amazon queen Hippolyta and is described as a woman of great beauty and virtue.

During the Renaissance period, the name Emely was popularized by the Italian poet and scholar Emilio de' Cavalieri (1550-1602), who is considered one of the founders of the opera genre. His name, Emilio, is a masculine form of the name Emely.

Another notable bearer of the name was Emely Stein (1891-1942), a German Jewish philosopher and Roman Catholic convert who was canonized as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1998. She was martyred at the Auschwitz concentration camp during the Holocaust.

In the 20th century, the name Emely gained popularity in various parts of the world, including the United States, where it was sometimes used as a variation of the more common name Emily. One notable American figure with the name was Emely Dickinson (1830-1886), a celebrated poet known for her unconventional style and reclusive lifestyle.