Emory
Meaning of Emory
Emory, a modern Anglo-American spelling of the medieval personal and dynastic surname Emery, ultimately descends from the Old High German Amalric—an amalgam of “amal” (industrious work) and “rīc” (power or rulership)—and thus carries the composite sense of a diligent leader. The name migrated into North America through colonial records as a family name, achieved given-name status in the nineteenth century, and has since maintained a measured but unmistakable presence; its ascent from the high 800s in mid-century U.S. statistics to roughly 300 today parallels the broader cultural turn toward consciously gender-neutral naming. Associations in American life include Emory University in Atlanta, whose Methodist founders honored Bishop John Emory, thereby endowing the name with scholastic and civic overtones, while literary and television characters named Emory have reinforced an image of quiet intellect. Phonetically concise yet historically resonant, Emory offers parents an academically tinged, unisex choice of understated distinction.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as EM-uh-ree (/ˈɛməri/)
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Notable People Named Emory
| Alfred Emory Johnson was an American actor, director, producer, and writer who began in silent films as a teen, became a Universal leading man under Carl Laemmle, and married Ella Hall in an early Hollywood celebrity marriage. |
| Emory Conrad Malick was an early Pennsylvania aviator who earned an international pilot license in 1912, and a later identity controversy ended in 2023 with a retraction noting he identified as white and was not the first Black pilot. |
| Emory S. Foster, a Civil War major in the 7th Missouri State Militia Cavalry, later became a St. Louis newspaper editor and fought a duel with rival editor and former Confederate John N. Edwards. |
| Emory Williams is an American college quarterback for the Miami Hurricanes. |
