Do you love Emma but hate the popularity? Emma currently ranks in as the most popular female name in the United States. This Germanic M-heavy monikor was a hit 100 years ago and was considered too old fashioned until it became chic in the late 90s. Here are some other Germanic oldies you might want to consider as an alternative or perhaps a nice sibling match for an Emma.

I guarantee these names are not in the current U.S. Top 1000.

• Alva: a current favorite among Swedish parents, this Old Norse name meaning “elf” has not been seen in the U.S. Top 1000 since 1958!
• Auda: a feminine form of Otto, this sweet gem has a sonorous similarity to Autumn, yet has the same sweet old fashioned vibe of Audrey.
• Berta, Bertha: This once beloved 2-syllable Germanic name was one of the most popular female names at the end of the 19th-century, then went so out of style that it hasn’t been seen in the Top 1000 since 1985. If Bertha is 2-heavy for you, you might prefer the less lispy Berta.
• Ebba: a feminine form of Everett
• Edda: another Old Norse name meaning “grand-mother” and also referring to the Nordic literary works, a great name for any parent who loves literature.
• Elarda: a Frisian feminine form of Eilhard.
• Emmilotte: this 19th-century German smush-name would make the perfect alternative to Emma & Charlotte.
• Erna: is a lovely Old Norse name meaning “hale,”pronounced AIR-nah, it is even lovelier. Who knows, maybe we can start a trend for the phonetic Airna.
• Gebba: a Frisian short form of Gebharda.
• Gerta: this rearrangement of Greta is a short form of Gertrude.
• Gesa: pronounced, GHES-sah, this a Low-German short form of Gertrude.
• Gusta: a short form of Augusta that became an independent name in its own right, this was in the U.S. Top 1000 between 1881-1905.
• Hedda: another Scandinavian favorite, this diminutive form of Hedwig surprisingly never appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 since 1880.
• Herta: based on a mislanstation of the Norse fertility goddess by Nerthus, this 2-syllable Germanic female was once among the top 10 Most Popular Female Name in Germany.
• Hilda: Hilda is strong and feminine, so why not Hilda for the 21st-Century? She is currently in the Swedish Top 100 and Hilda is being reconsidered by modern German parents. She has reappeared in the German Top 500 this past year.
• Ida: a long-time favorite in Scandinavia, this has consistently been in the Swedish & Norwegian Top 100 since 1976.
• Karda: an old diminutive form of Rikarda. 
• Lemma: no one is quite sure where she came from, but she was in the U.S. Top 1000 between 1880-1891, and then just like that, she completely disappeared. Perhaps she was used in reference to the term in botany or the mathematical concept, however way you look at it, it is quite a fresh and unusual alternative to America’s #1 name.
• Minna: Pronounced MIN-nah & not MEEN-nah, this lovely apellation is from the Old Germanic word (and modern Yiddish word!) for love (as in romantic love).
• Nanna: name of a Norse goddess
• Norma: Marilyn Monroe’s real name, who could go wrong.
• Oda: feminine form of Udo.
• Poldi: this adorable diminutive form of Leopoldina would make an unexpected yet chic modern choice
• Seffa: an old German diminutive form of Josepha.
• Selma: a short form of Anselma, Selma Hayek carries this name well, why not your newborn?
• Silka: an Old German short form of Cecilia.
• Tetta: a Friesian short form of Diederike
• Trudy: this stand-alone  form of Gertrude would make an adorable independent name for a child of the 2020s
• Ulla: why not Ulla? It is an Old Germanic name that fits many 2-syllable trendy name such as Emma, Ella & Stella.
• Wanda: this Polish lovely was one Polish name that became widespread across the English-speaking world, if you want a more Germanic flavor, there is also Vanda.

What do you think?

Would you use any of these name?

Did you find inspiration in this list? If so, please share