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Emma

EH-muh

Emma (name) means a female given name of Germanic origin, long popular across Europe and North America. Example: “Emma has been one of the most popular baby names for years.”

name
1
A female given name of Germanic origin, long popular across Europe and North America.
"Emma has been one of the most popular baby names for years."
noun
1
The letter M in the older phonetic alphabet used by the Royal Air Force.
"The pilot spelled out the callsign using "Emma" for M."

How to Use Emma

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA widely used female first name; historically also RAF code for the letter M.

Word Forms

emmas plural

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_____ has been one of the most popular baby names for years.

Etymology

Brought to England by the Normans as a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element meaning "whole" or "universal."

Origin: Germanic

Emme Emmy Ema Emmah

Related Words

Rhymes for Emma

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Emma” mean?

The word “Emma” means a female given name of Germanic origin, long popular across Europe and North America. In plain terms, a widely used female first name; historically also RAF code for the letter M.

How do you pronounce “Emma”?

“Emma” is pronounced EH-muh (/ˈɛmə/ in IPA).

How do you use “Emma” in a sentence?

Here is “Emma” used in a sentence: “Emma has been one of the most popular baby names for years.”

What part of speech is “Emma”?

Depending on how it is used, “Emma” can be a name and a noun.

Where does the word “Emma” come from?

The word “Emma” comes from Germanic. Brought to England by the Normans as a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element meaning "whole" or "universal.".

Is “Emma” a common word?

“Emma” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Emma” have?

“Emma” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a female given name of Germanic origin, long popular across Europe and North America.

Is Emma short for a longer name?

Emma is a standalone given name of Germanic origin rather than a nickname, though it is sometimes used as a short form of longer names such as Emmeline. It has been popular across Europe and North America for centuries in its own right.

What does Emma stand for in the phonetic alphabet?

In the older phonetic alphabet once used by the Royal Air Force, "Emma" represented the letter M. In the modern NATO phonetic alphabet, M is now represented by "Mike" instead.

What is the difference between Emma and Emmy?

Emma is a full given name of Germanic origin, while Emmy is usually a pet form or diminutive of Emma or Emmeline. Emmy is also the name of the American television award, which is unrelated to the personal name.

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