Emerson

Emily or Emma is better for a girl. Emerson should stay a boy name. Emily and Emma are not soft or weak just because they are female names. A name can be feminine without being soft or weak. I don’t think of any female names as being weak. There are some soft sounding ones (such as Suzanna as opposed to the more hard sounding Susan or Suzanne), but there are also soft sounding male names too, like Noah and Joshua. A soft sound doesn’t make them weak. Anyone who associates a female name or a feminine color with weakness is just revealing their secret sexism, that they believe anything feminine is weak because they believe all females are weak.

I am truly appalled at the level of hate there is for this lovely, strong name! There’s so much push for girls having historically girl names and boys having historically boy names, and unisex names apparently take away from that, like girls are stealing from boys or something. It’s the 21st century, women can be strong and men can be soft, your little girl may not even be a girl when they grow up. Insisting that girls have names that are soft and weak and boys have names that are strong and powerful just doesn’t seem suitable for the modern era.

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I love names like Lily and Alice, but names like Emerson, Addison, and Madison are lovely for girls as well (*all* of which mean ‘son of’ by the way). In turn, I think it’s a wonderful name for boys, Emerson is a strong sound, but Em and Emer grant a level of softness that I think boys should be able to have if they so desire.

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If there are any little Emersons reading these comments that are ignoring the rule of being as kind as possible, I think you should feel proud of your name, it’s something you can make your own.

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(All in all, funnily enough the name isn’t my style, though I suspect I’ll like it more and more as the years go by, I think it’ll age very well. I also love the nickname Sun or Sunny, it’s so cute!)

This is my name- I absolutely adore it. I used to get bullied for trying to be a tomboy and masculine, so be aware of that if you name your child this. Emerson, to me, is a name that represents grace and elegance. I can see it well on both males and females- I see no problem using it as unisex. Cute nicknames for a girl, if you don’t want to call your sweet baby ‘Emerson’ could be Emery, Emmie, Emmy, Emily, Emma, or my personal fav, Sunny/Sun. To any kids reading this, wondering why everyone hates your name: we all don’t. These are just a few haters, sharing their opinions on a NAME! It doesn’t make you less of who you are, and this name is a beautiful, powerful name.
Overall:
9/10.

WHAT...! 100% masculine, no question whatsoever. "SON" names on girls is a big thumbs-down. You get a pass if you're a mermaid naming yourself after Madison Ave. That's actually cute, but only that particular mermaid and few other ladies could pull it off.

I am a man, I love my name, it's weird how my dad came to this name after trying five, however, the idea of being a name for both male and female plus a surname have always caught my attention, a couple of friends call me "Eme" it sounds cute for me.
I've searched a lot about it, most of its characteristics are similar to my being, which makes everything weirder.

I think this name is very cute. If used for a boy I would probably spell it Emerson or Emersen and use the nickname of Emmet. If used for a girl I would probably spell Emersyn and use the nicknames of Emy, Em, or Ember. I really think that this can go for either gender no matter what spelling. It’s a solid name.

Great name for a girl, I think it's a bit strange for a boy.

My name's Emerson and I'm a girl. I love my name and I hate how almost every single person on here is just dissing the name when it comes to being used for girls. I find my name strong and maybe a little masculine but I don't mind because it makes me feel powerful. All the people on here who came on just to say how much they hate this name are stupid because it's a beautiful name for both genders. And I honestly don't get why people feel so strongly about a NAME!

Emer”son” is definitely a boy name. As a preschool teacher, I’ve only had two boys with the name Emerson. Adorable!

I like this name, but ONLY when it's spelled this way! I would never ever call my child Emersyn, Emersan, Emmersinn, Emyrsynne, or any other ridiculous spelling.

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Also, I was quite surprised to find out that this name was being used for girls as well as boys, and I'm still not sure why this is. By the way, I'm 19 years old and I have never met anyone, male or female, with this name.

Changing the spelling to Emersyn or Emersan does not improve this name.

Ya'll, this is a beautiful name and frankly I am very offended. You should be ashamed of yourself my best friend is named Emerson and it is the most beautiful name I have ever heard I thought it was a girl's name before I set eyes on her. It sounds good on boys too I agree. But I would most definitely name my child with the name Emerson in honor of her.

Nothing remotely feminine about this name. Might as well name your daughter John.

A very hard name to carry as a girl.

I love Emerson for a boy!
This spelling is not a girl name! Emer”son”.

Hey everyone! My given name is Emerson and I love it! I don't identify as male or female and I don't get why everyone in the comments is freaking out about this name being used on a girl. I've met several people (male and female) who use the name Emerson. Take it easy in the comments- I'm shocked that people would have this strong an opinion about a name. Come on guys. This website is supposed to be fun, not for hate comments on a NAME.

Definitely a boy name when spelled Emer”son”!

I knew a girl with this name (spelled very uniquely, in a spelling that isn't listed here) but everyone calls her Emmy.

Definitely not a boy name.

We almost named my niece arriving soon, Emerson May. But we chose Bailey Faye instead. Love it tho!

I love it for a girl! Cute, sweet name! For a boy, I despise it!

Change of mind...Despise for either gender! Hate this name!

A horrible name, for either gender!

Like for a boy.
Dislike for a girl!

To each their own but in my opinion this isn’t feminine in the slightest. If that’s the case you might as well go with Emery, or Emmery.

Only for a girl. ❤️.

Ehh. It’s okay, but I can’t imagine it on a girl.

Another name that just Americans can use. Basically the Madison of 2020. Terrible on a girl.

I named my infant son Emerson David and I have gotten several complements on the name. -the doctor's office also presumed he was a girl. But I figure you will have that sometimes with unisex names. I personally don’t prefer this on a girl, but it has been clearly used a lot for both genders like Taylor or Jordan. I think there are less trendy, more classically beautiful names for a girl, but I don’t think having a bunch of female Emerson’s takes away from my handsome Emerson :-)

It sounds okay on boys but very surnamey. On girls... it literally has "son" in the meaning. It sounds quite masculine and it's very trendy. If you want to call her Emmy, just do Emmeline or Emilia or Emmanuelle.

Sorry but how the hell is this feminine?

Everyone is definitely entitled to their opinion but I just want to say I think this name can be completely masculine AND feminine. I prefer it for a girl but I tend to like unisex names. My own name, Jordan, is very unisex. I know many male and female Jordan’s and think it’s a good name either way. My daughter's name, Avery, is also unisex and I love it. I think Emerson is a great name for either gender, I’m considering it for my second daughter. If you’re considering this name, don’t listen to the hate it’s getting for being “too masculine”, it’s most definitely not!

Hi I am a girl and this is my name. I have never been mistaken for a male so all of you saying it's a male name are kinda just funny. People always assume my name is a girl's name and I am a girl so it makes sense. I've only met girls who have my name. Never a boy. So I don't know what yall are talking about.

I have a 12 year old daughter (one of two twins) named Emersinn McKaylee and I just love her name! Fun fact- I was actually planning to name her Jasmine. But then I discovered this name, and Jasmine flew out the window! I think the name Emerson (spelled any way) is cute and unique on a girl! I find it cute when girls have boyish names, haha. I dislike the name Emerson on a boy though! Anyways, I changed the spelling to Emersinn. The spelling Emerson, while nice, is too common, and I just think Emersinn is cuter and rarer. Also, my little girl has a beautiful Irish middle name- McKaylee. Me and my husband are both fully Irish, so I decided to make her middle name reflect that!
Some of these comments are quite ignorant and rude, saying how they "hate the name" and "think it isn't good on a girl". I wonder if these people have boring names like Sophie or Olivia lol. Oh well, I recommend this name to anyone who may be considering it!

I think the name Emerson can be used for a male or female. As a female Emerson I get mistaken to be a male all the time. I think the name can be used however pleased and it's so rude to make this name for one gender only. Personally, I don't like my name but I still think it can be for both genders.

I know tons of people with this name - all girls - and I think it’s ridiculous every time I hear it. Firstly, it’s a last name. Secondly, it dates your kid, meaning that everyone will know what year the child was born without seeing them with a name like Emerson. It’s so trendy and unoriginal. Thirdly, it’s masculine. The people that are saying “oh but Allison!” Allison isn’t a last name. It never was. It came like that, for a girl. This is a name site for people who are name enthusiasts. We appreciate names for their meaning. Sorry we don’t like trendy pretty sounds.

Can't believe girls are being named this. The meaning has "son" in it. Should not be used for girls.

Emerson suits boys and girls, but I prefer it as a girl’s name in my book. It reminds me of emeralds, and emeralds are feminine things. Boys can be named Emerson, but so can girls. It’s a coincidence that Emerson, Addison, and Madison are all originally male and they all end with -son and they’re all thought of as feminine. I don’t even know if Allison was a feminine name. Emerson is a cute name and the trend of naming girls this doesn’t bother me.

Emerson is a beautiful name for both boys and girls, but I prefer it slightly more on a girl, because the name Emery sounds so feminine and Emerson sounds like Emerald and Emerald also sounds feminine. Though, it’s an elegant girl's name that’s acceptable for both girls and boys since it’s a wonderful unisex name. I respect it being originally a male name meaning the “Son Of Emery”, but I just think it’s more feminine in my opinion.

I mean, for boys do boy's name and for girl's do girls names. Girls are adorable in girls' names and boys are cool in boys' names. The moment you start mixing it up it becomes ridiculous. Emerson sounds a bit like a surname to me but ok on a boy. Any name with the word "son" in it (besides for Sonia) IS NOT FOR GIRLS, PERIOD. Call them Scarlet, Jenny or Gina - for all I care. Just don't "son" them.

While Emery sounds like Emily with an Asian spin, Emerson sounds much better for some reason. It's one of my favorites.

I named my daughter "Emmerson". I always loved the names Emma and Emily, but already knew so many of them. We added an extra "m" to differentiate it from the traditional boy name a bit, and as a nod to her nickname. (My daughter primarily goes by "Emmy" or "Em".) She is the second born (and second daughter, so we were a bit over pink and frills), and a total character. She is a spunky, aggressive athlete, who can hang with the boys, but also beautiful, feminine, and smart. The name suits her perfectly. And as for names ending in "son" belonging to boys, the history and tradition of it is a beautiful thing when used for those purposes. (Son of so-and-so). But I don't think that using some of these names on girls takes anything away from that. I myself am an Allyson, and have never met a man bearing my name! ;-)

I love this name on a girl, and I don't care that it has the word 'son' in it. People name their daughters 'Sonny' and that's basically all 'son'.

It's a shame to see this name not remotely feminine take the "-son names being used on girls" route Madison and Addison have taken.

How is this name feminine? Should only name a boy this. I prefer this as a surname anyway.

I think if we live in an age where it is acceptable to call your child names such as Apple, Rocket, Wolf, Atlas, Zeon, Blue, Macadamia and Tiara, then it is perfectly acceptable to give a girl a masculine name.
Personally I see Emerson as more of a girl's name and would consider it for when I have a daughter, Emerson Louise sounds rather nice to me. But it is all personal taste and a matter of opinion, only you can say what name is right for your child.

Then when will it be acceptable to name boys girl names?

All the ignorant people saying this name, along with Madison and Addison, are not meant for boys need to remember the fact that said names were originally masculine and the only reason they seem too feminine nowadays is because wannabe-trendy parents wanted their daughters to have a masculine name for whatever reason. These names are being used more for girls than boys, thus seeming more feminine, even though they are not. As for my opinion, it's an okay name. Not much of a fan, but I don't hate it either.

I have named my son Emerson. He is 4 months old and I have had quite a few compliments on his name. I think it's very masculine and strong. I personally don't like it for a girl. I don't think girls need another 'em' name- they already have Emma and Emily etc. and they are beautiful names. I don't see why they need to use what I believe to be intended as a male name originally ☺️.

I do not see the logic for using this name as a first name of a female. Unlike other names which have features that imply masculinity like McKenna, I do not see the female aspects. If there is an Emery or Emerson down the family tree, I think it is a solid middle name, just not first name. Emeryson would be better for a girl than Emerson.

Whether you like it or not, Emerson is a boys name. That, or a surname. It is not unisex and it is not a girls (first or middle name) and it never will be. This is NOT my opinion but a straight up fact. I can tell Emerson is meant for boys; not just by the look of it but also by the SOUND of it.

I don't like this name. Not because it's trendy or originally a masculine last name, I just don't like it. It sounds strange. I feel like Madison and Addison are pretty feminine, but Emerson seems fairly masculine. Maybe because it kind of reminds me of the name Elmer. Either way, I don't like it.

I absolutely love this as a girl name only. It's disgusting on a boy, way way too feminine. I can't stand it when people say this is a boy name only and that comment that says son name is boy only, no way. Addison, and Maddison are NOT meant for boys at all. These are all too feminine, and it's stupid on a boy. Really really stupid. Sorry if you are a boy and have this name but seriously.

I am a 49 year old, black male. My first name is Emerson. I hated the name growing up and came very close to changing it when I was about 25 years old. Over the years I have grown to embrace my name.

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I rarely say my last name when I meet people since my first name is so unique. It seems like once I say Emerson, no last name is necessary, like Madonna, Prince or Cher. I have only met a handful of people who know someone else with the first name Emerson.

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On the other hand, I know two black men with the first name Emerson (one attends the same church that I do and the other one works at a store down the street from where I live).

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I do get frustrated when people call me Elmer, Emery, Emmett, Enderson or even Elmo. If my name must be modified/shortened, then E is okay or M is okay.

I'm aware we live in a society where it's the new norm to take essentially any boy name and slap it on a girl as though every male name that comes to intellectually challenged parents is unisex but this is ridiculous! What boy names are safe anymore?!
Just because Emerson is a soft and gentle boys name, does not make it suitable for a girl.
Emerson: boy. Boy. Boy.
If you wish to give your daughter this name, go right ahead. Just know that it will never be a girl's name. No matter how many decades pass by or how you spell the name. Emerson will forever be a boys name.

I like if for a girl. Sorry guys!

I hate and despise this name on a girl. There are so many lovely girls' names around, why go with a surname, and worse, a surname ending in the masculine suffix "son"? Rather insulting to a girl to be stuck with the malecentric "son". Alison has "son" at the end but that is because of the medieval French-influenced ending -on as in Marion.
Addison, Madison, Emerson - all terrible for a girl unless they are family surnames and used as a middle name on her!

I love the name Emerson, but not for a boy. It sounds weak for a boy to me. I love it for a girl, and I am considering it for a girl. I would spell it Emmersyn for a girl.

This, in my opinion, is a boys name. It is similar to the name Remington, and not very feminine at all. I think names such as Dakota, Skye, Emerson and Kendall, are too masculine for a girl. If you see these names written down, you would have to see the person to know their gender. Not my style at all.

I named my son Emerson, as he is only three I call him Em for short, sometimes even Emmy. I am proud of his name. It suits him perfectly. I do agree it has become popular for a girls name, which I think is best spelt Emersyn, but obviously up to the individual naming the child. Im from New Zealand so with my accent I prounce it EM-A-SON. We are lazy with our ER's :P.

Let me start by saying that I like Emerson for a boy AND a girl. Equally, too - I don't like the name enough to assess which gender I would use it on.

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I've never thought that these kinds of names should be assigned any certain gender.

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Why?

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Because they're UNISEX. The whole idea of a unisex name is for it to be used on both genders! :) And why not? Riley, Taylor, Cameron and Reid are examples of gender-neutral names.

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Don't think this is directed straight at krisscouture - it isn't. I just generally hate it when people say, "But this name is OBVIOUSLY feminine/masculine" about unisex names - which, I stress, are unisex. Heh-heh, that's actually kind of the point of gender-neutral names.

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My proof that it can be unisex:
Emerson has qualities that are feminine and masculine. You could associate the 'Em' with Emily and Emma and call it feminine. You may associate 'son' with Jason, Mason and Grayson and call it masculine. It also means "son of Emery." Look at "Skyler". "Sky" = feminine, "ler" = masculine. It is a successful unisex name.

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Unisex names are a bit like yin and yang, wouldn't you agree?

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"more people prefer it for a girl"
It would seem that way, yeah. And that's the only thing I agree with regarding the comment.

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"the -son ending means nothing to anyone."
So, I did a LOT of maths, and I hate maths but I'll do it if it means people can use the name Emerson on their son or daughter if they want to. I got a rough figure on the amount of baby girls born in 2010, and subtracted the popularities of Emerson, Madison and Addison. Approximately 2,003,177 baby girls were given names that didn't end in -son. So, we can assume the -son ending meant something to their parents. Think about that. 2,003,177 parents. And that's ONLY on the girl's side. I could go into the amounts of boys given -son names: Grayson/Greyson, Anson, Benson, Branson, Hudson, Jamison, Nelson, Edison, Jason, Larson, Tennyson, Jenson, Carlson, Tyson, Ericson, Dawson, Samson, Orson, Dennison, Dyson, Anderson, Emerson, Carson, Jackson, Mason. Look at how popular THOSE names are for boys, especially Jackson and Mason (and if anyone can play the "Alison" card, then I can play the "Mason" card.)
And how many girl names end in son? Madison... Addison... Emerson... Alison... sometimes Grayson, though most parents will spell that Gracen for girls... um... hardly any.

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Emerson itself is not a common name, nor is it obscure. Therefore, it is usable on either gender. There were 1000 female Emersons in 2010, and 638 male Emersons. When you consider the amount of babies born in the US last year, that is not a terribly significant difference. And certainly with all the male names ending in son that I just mentioned, Emerson's name is certainly going to feel more masculine than one would think, despite the progression of Madison and Addison.

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You should also note that alternate spellings of Emerson were used for girls: Emersyn (281 girls), Emmerson (122), Emersen (54), Emmersyn (42), Emmersen (10), Emercyn (6). Apart from Emmerson, what do you notice? The SON part has been replaced with letters the parents most likely perceived as more feminine. We can yet again assume that the son ending meant something to them, hence why they changed it. Emersyn has cracked the top 1000 for girls, and I do think it looks more feminine, same with Emersen and Emercyn. And as of 2010, Emery for a girl is slightly ahead of Emerson for a girl. Meh. Guess the -son ending meant something to Emerys' parents. I, for one, like the name Emery on a girl slightly better than I like it on a boy, but I'd never discourage people from naming their sons Emery just because I wanted it to look more feminine - that would be selfish of me.

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"nickname Emmy"
Yes, I invite parents to nickname Emersons Emmy. It IS cute, and I'm sure it'll come up.
Also, think of how many parents went for Emery, Emily/Emely/Emalee, Emma, Emilia, Emerald, Emelina, and Emmeline instead. And plenty of masculine names can be nicknamed Emmy - Emmanuel, Emmett, Embry, Emmerich, Emilius, Emilio, Emil, Emilian, Emir.

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"the evidence is there"
Probably the strongest evidence anyone could provide that this is a masculine name is the masculine sound and the meaning. I could say that was MY evidence, but it isn't. I'm not saying Emerson is a boys name but it's not exclusive to girls either. I hate it when people say, "I want to use this on a boy/girl 'cause it sounds masculine/feminine, so you guys should too." If you wanna use it on a girl, I encourage you to do so, but it's clearly unisex.

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For the record, I don't plan to name a boy or girl Emerson. I just like Emerson on both genders, and it can be justified because the name is unisex. The premise of a unisex name is that it's on either gender - thus, you can safely use it on a boy or girl.

@ListentoAsuka, this name wasn't always unisex. It literally means "son of Emery". Names like Cameron, Riley, etc. on girls don't matter as much because they don't indicate gender. This name, along with Madison and Addison, specify gender. Just because it's become unisex doesn't mean it should be. Of course, it's ultimately the parents' decision, but it's still not a good unisex name.

Apparently more people like it for a girl, (including myself) as it is more common for girls. Emmy is a cute nickname, and the -son ending means nothing to anyone. The evidence is there.

I actually don't mind this name, which has philosophical associations, a gentle sound, interesting history, and is popular in Brazil (for males) for some reason.

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I do understand why it is more often used for girls though, because it sounds so much like "Emma", and because Em or Emmy is is the natural pet name.

I love this name for a boy! It reminds me of Pushing Daisies, haha.

This is like naming your daughter Harrison or Jefferson! :| on a boy, it's ok.

Emerson is a horrible name for a girl. I catch not why parents are taking boy's names (Addison, Peyton, Hayden, Riley, Madison) and turning them into girl's names! It means son of Emery!

This is a beautiful and strong name. Although it is unisex, I prefer it for a girl. But I would not use nicknames like Em or Emmy. Emerson is gorgeous and can stand all by itself. It does not need to be shortened. I know the meaning is "son of Emery" but I think it sounds more feminine.

I love this for a boy. On a girl it looks super trendy and tacky. And I hate all these -son names for girls.

Well to me it just seems sort of unisex. I mean, as what was originally a last name, wouldn't it be ok for either gender? I don't see anything wrong with it. Yeah, it's a surnamey name like a lot of 'trendy' names, but also it has a literary background which I guess for me kind of cancels out the trendoid-ness!

I know it was meant for boys but it sounds too girly for a boy especially with nicknames like Em, Emmy, or Emma. And I hate Ashley, Madison, or Addison on boys. I think the people who came up with these for boys were crazy they are just too girly. Boys need manly names and girls need cute, pretty names.

I love this name both for girls and boys.
The heroine in Airhead by Meg Cabot is called Emerson.

This is actually a kind of cool name for a guy, but on a girl, it sounds totally hideous and trendoid. Do people not understand the meaning of the -son ending?

I think this is a wonderful masculine name that is best used as a middle name, although if your husband's name is Emery it would make a great first name.

Looks like this will become the next fad name like Madison and Addison. I wonder why traditionally masculine names ending in -son become so popular as girls' names in the US. Future parents - beware.

This is horrible on a girl. It doesn't sound that great on a boy either.

I don't like this name on either sex. On boys, it gives the impression that the parents are pretentious or stuck up snobs. It also sounds old-fashioned. On girls, it sounds too masculine, and I fail to see why anyone would even think the name sounds edgy and spunky on girls. Devon I can understand, even Riley, but not this. Boyish names don't age very well on females, unfortunately enough, as you can only be ''cool'' for so long.

In response to the comment, "Boyish names don't age very well on females," well, you may or may not be right, but I think that is precisely the hope of many parents who choose these seemingly masculine "-son" names for their daughters.

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I suspect they think the unisex given name will sound kind of brisk and businesslike when their daughters are old enough to join the business world. In the meantime, they can call them by the cute and girlish nicknames, "Maddie," Addie," and (now) Emmie (or whatever spelling thereof you prefer).

Great job if you chose this for a boy, but for a girl, I AM POSTITIVELY DISGUSTED WITH! It just doesn't work for a girl at all, it's way too harsh for a girl but is nice an smooth for a boy. I slightly understand Madison and Addison being female, but this name? NO WAY!

I like Emerson for either gender. I'm leaning more towards girl, though, simply because I adore the names Emily and Emma. I do like the poet, though.

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I honestly don't see anything wrong with girls being named Emerson. Male and female Kellys, Ashleys and Courtneys coexist so if parents want to name their sons or daughters Emerson, then so be it. Sure, it might be annoying for those who want to name their sons Emerson, that it's trendy for a girl now but what about parents who want to use Emily or Aidan but can't due to popularity? It's the way it goes sometimes. I'm actually thankful that 'name revolutions' occur, otherwise we wouldn't have so many wonderful names out there!

I love this name for a girl. When I think of a girl with this name I think of a smart, pretty, possibly shy girl who has great potential. Anyone who names their daughter this - good job! It isn't too bad on boys either.

Emerson is great, but ONLY on a male. As a girl name, it is positively ridiculous. Same goes for Madison, Addison, and other son names. They were meant to be used for BOYS.

Comes equipped with big, hairy mascufeminine bollocks.

Cute middle name.

I have seen it used for girls but myself I prefer it for a boy.