Find out how popular the first name Emeril has been for the last 24 years (from 1999 to 2022) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Emeril by gender

Based on the last 24 years of data, Emeril is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 81% of people named Emeril being male.

For the most recent data in 2022, there were 7 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Emeril.

The history of the first name Emeril

The name Emeril is derived from the Old French name Esmereillon, which means "little emerald" or "little green one." It is believed to have originated in the 12th century, during the High Middle Ages in France.

The name Emeril is thought to have been inspired by the gemstone emerald, which was highly prized and associated with qualities such as beauty, wisdom, and vitality. It may have been given to children with particularly vibrant green eyes or as a wish for them to possess the positive attributes associated with the gemstone.

In medieval France, the name was sometimes spelled as Esmerillon or Esmereilloun. It was primarily used among the nobility and upper classes, as gemstone names were considered fashionable and indicative of wealth and status.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Emeril can be found in the 13th-century French epic poem "Le Roman de la Rose," where a character named Esmerillon appears. However, there are no known historical figures of great significance with this name from that time period.

The name Emeril gained some popularity in the late 15th century, with a few notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Emeril de Dreux (1470-1522), a French nobleman and military commander who served under King Charles VIII and King Louis XII.

In the 16th century, Emeril de Bellières (1535-1598) was a French Catholic theologian and writer who authored several works on religious subjects. Around the same time, Emeril de Longchamp (1548-1612) was a French jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the Parlement of Paris.

Moving into the 17th century, Emeril de Morogues (1618-1683) was a French nobleman and military officer who fought in the Thirty Years' War and later became a courtier at the court of King Louis XIV.

While the name Emeril has been relatively rare throughout history, it has seen a resurgence in recent times, particularly in the United States, where it is often associated with the celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, who was born in 1959.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Emeril was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Emeril, please contact us.

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