Emilie is a female given name of Latin origin. It is derived from the Latin word "Aemilius," which was a Roman family name believed to mean "rival" or "to excel." The name Emilie became popular in France during the Middle Ages and eventually spread throughout Europe.
One of the most famous historical figures with the name Emilie was Emilie du Châtelet, an 18th-century French mathematician, physicist, and writer. She was known for her translations of Isaac Newton's works into French and her own scientific contributions, including a work on the laws of motion and gravity.
In literature, the name Emilie appears in several notable works. In Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre," the character John Reed calls Jane "an ugly little monkey" when she uses the name Emilie instead of Emily. Additionally, the French poet Théophile Gautier wrote a poem titled "Émilia" as part of his collection "Émaux et Camées."
The name Emilie has also been used by several royalty throughout history. For instance, Princess Marie Amélie of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was the wife of King Charles II of Spain and bore the name Emilie.
Today, Emilie remains a popular female given name in many countries around the world. It is often associated with intelligence, creativity, and strength due to historical figures like Emilie du Châtelet, as well as its Latin roots meaning "to excel."
The statistics show a fluctuating pattern of the number of girls named Emilie born annually over a span of nearly 140 years. The name's popularity peaked around the mid-90s with 626 births in 2001 and started to decline afterward, reaching an all-time low of 174 births in 2022. Overall, there were a total of 26318 girls named Emilie born during this period.