Emilee is an American spelling of Emily, which comes from the Roman family name Aemilius and is usually explained as "rival" or "eager". The -lee ending matched the style of Kaylee and Hailee and was most popular while Emily itself sat at number one in the 1990s and 2000s. Emilee ranked number 333 in 2000, peaked at number 304 in 2003 and has fallen steadily since, from number 586 in 2015 to number 1867 in 2025.