It is derived from the Germanic word “ermen” meaning whole or universal, and was originally a short form of Germanic names that began with “ermen|.
It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife of King Ethelred II and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor. Later, she became the wife of King Canute.
It was also the name of an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.
It became common in England after the Norman conquest. It was revived in the 18th century, perhaps due to Matthew Prior’s poem “Henry and Emma”, written in 1709.
It was also used by Jane Austen, in 1816, for the central character, the matchmaker Emma Woodhouse, in her novel “Emma”.
Famous bearers are Emma Watson, Emma Stone, Emma Thompson.
Emma is a popular name in United States, France, Canada, Norway, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Finland and Iceland.
Emma Watson is an English actress and activist.
She became widely known after playing the role of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series.