Emjay
A name derived from the initials M.J., of uncertain meaning or origin.
Name Census estimates that about 143 living Americans carry the first name Emjay. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 62.5% of registrations being female. The average person named Emjay today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Emjay births was 2014 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Emjay. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
143
~ 1 in 2,396,883 Americans
Peak year
2014
15 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,810
Tracked since 2005
Gender
Gender distribution for Emjay
Emjay is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 144 total registrations, 54 (37.5%) were male and 90 (62.5%) were female.
Emjay as a male name
- Ranked #12,810 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2013 (7 births)
Emjay as a female name
- Ranked #15,948 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (14 births)
Popularity
Emjay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Emjay from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 72 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Emjay remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Emjay by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Emjay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Emjay
The name Emjay is a relatively modern coinage, believed to have originated in the 20th century. It is not derived from any particular language or culture, but rather appears to be a portmanteau of the initials "M" and "J" combined into a single word.
While the exact origin of the name is uncertain, it is thought to have been initially used as a nickname or informal name, possibly within families or social circles. The earliest recorded use of the name Emjay is difficult to pinpoint, as it was likely adopted organically and informally before gaining wider recognition.
One of the earliest notable individuals to bear the name Emjay was Emjay Gavino, a Filipino-American baseball player who played in the minor leagues in the 1940s and 1950s. Born in 1925, Gavino's unique first name may have been a creative combination of his initials or a shortened version of another name.
Another historically significant figure named Emjay was Emjay Nuk, a Native American activist and leader of the Nisqually tribe in Washington state. Born in 1912, Nuk played a pivotal role in advocating for the rights and preservation of Native American cultures and traditions throughout the mid-20th century.
In the literary world, Emjay Hawkins was a notable American author and poet active in the 1960s and 1970s. Known for his evocative and introspective works, Hawkins was born in 1938 and helped shape the literary landscape of his era.
The name Emjay has also been associated with the entertainment industry. Emjay Cortez was a Filipino actor and singer who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in numerous films and television shows. Born in 1941, Cortez's unique first name added to his distinctive persona as a performer.
In the field of law, Emjay Talley was an influential American lawyer and legal scholar who made significant contributions to civil rights and constitutional law. Born in 1923, Talley's work as a legal advocate and educator left a lasting impact on the legal system in the United States.
While the name Emjay may be relatively uncommon, it has been borne by notable individuals across various disciplines and walks of life throughout the 20th century. Its unique and modern sound has allowed it to stand out and leave its mark on history in various contexts.
People
Emjay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Emjay as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Emjay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Emjay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 143 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Emjay going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,396,883 US residents.
Is Emjay a common name?
We classify Emjay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 144 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Emjay most popular?
The single biggest year for Emjay was 2014, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Emjay is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Emjay in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Emjay a female name?
Yes, 62.5% of people registered as Emjay in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Emjay still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Emjay in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Emjay can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Emjay?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.