Emory

Emory is a variation of Emery, which traces back through the Germanic Emmerich to roots meaning brave or powerful ruler of the home. It doubles as the name of a respected Atlanta university, founded in 1836 and named for a Methodist bishop, which gives it a faintly academic aura. Over the past decade Emory has quietly gone unisex, moving more often onto girls' rolls without leaving the boys' side entirely. Three gentle syllables, no hard edges. It sits in the low 330s on American charts. Emory feels thoughtful, bookish, and softly Southern, a name with honeyed vowels.