Emmert
A German masculine name meaning "universal ruler" or "entire power".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Emmert. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Emmert today is around 89 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Emmert births was 1919 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Emmert. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Emmert is about 89 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Emmerts were born before 1947.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Emmert. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1919
19 babies that year
Average age
89
years old
1948 SSA rank
#3,837
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Emmert: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Emmert from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 110 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Emmert 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 Emmert during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Emmerts live
Origin
Meaning and history of Emmert
The given name Emmert has its origins in the Germanic language family, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "amal," meaning "vigor" or "strength," combined with the suffix "-hart," which signifies "brave" or "hardy." The name's earliest recorded spelling was "Amalhart," which later evolved into various forms such as "Emhart" and eventually "Emmert."
During the medieval period, the name Emmert was predominantly found in regions of present-day Germany and Switzerland, where it was commonly used among the local populations. While there are no significant historical references or ancient texts mentioning the name directly, it is reasonable to assume that it gained popularity as a given name during the Middle Ages, reflecting the cultural values and aspirations of Germanic societies at the time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Emmert was a German knight named Emmert von Waldeck, who lived in the 12th century and fought in the Crusades. Another notable figure was Emmert Reinhard, a Swiss philosopher and theologian from the 15th century, known for his writings on ethics and moral philosophy.
In the 16th century, Emmert Müller, a German blacksmith and inventor, gained recognition for his innovative designs in metalworking tools and techniques. A century later, Emmert Hauser, a Swiss painter and engraver, made a name for himself with his intricate landscapes and portraits.
Moving into the 19th century, Emmert Bauer, a German botanist and naturalist, contributed significantly to the study of plant taxonomy and the classification of various species found in Central Europe.
While the name Emmert may not have been widely used in more recent times, its historical roots and associations with strength, bravery, and resilience have left an enduring legacy within the Germanic cultural sphere.
People
Emmert + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Emmert 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
Emmert: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Emmert?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Emmert 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Emmert a common name?
We classify Emmert as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 201 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Emmert most popular?
The single biggest year for Emmert was 1919, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Emmert is about 89 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 Emmert in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Emmert a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Emmert in the SSA data are male. 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 Emmert still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Emmert 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 Emmert 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 Americans are named Emmert?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.