Unisex, originally a boy's name; in the United States now often given to girls · Germanic (via Norman French) · International
Emery
EmerySay it EM-uh-ree
- Meaning today
- Brave, powerful, industrious ruler
- Original meaning
- "from Germanic Amalric: amal- (vigour, work) + rīc 'ruler, power'" Bosworth-Toller, entries 25771 and 25772
- Say it
- EM-uh-ree
- Other spellings
- Emory, Emmery, Amery
Emery
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Emery meaning
Emery is an international unisex name of Germanic origin (via Norman French), used for both girls and boys.
From Germanic Amalric: amal- (vigour, work) + rīc 'ruler, power'
Also used to mean: brave, powerful, industrious ruler
Emery is an old name that came to England with the Normans, who spelled it Amauri or Emaurri. It comes from the Germanic name Amalric, the name of several Gothic and medieval kings. Its second part is the Germanic word for ruler and power, which in Old English was rīce, defined by Bosworth-Toller's dictionary as power, rule and dominion, and as an adjective powerful and mighty. The first part, amal-, is less certain; it is read as vigour or as work, which gives the popular "industrious ruler". Long used as a surname and a boy's name, Emery is now given to girls as well.
Source: Bosworth-Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898), entries 25771 and 25772 · entry ríce · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Bosworth-Toller, ríce (adjective) · Geneanet, Emery / Amery
Popularity abroad
- #74 United States, girls 2025 (down 4 from 70 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Emery · Emory · Emmery · Amery