Emmeline is a Norman French diminutive of Germanic names built on amal, which means "work" and is usually rendered "industrious"; over the centuries it has also been treated as an elaboration of Emma. The British suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst gave the name a strong, independent association. Emmeline entered the US top 1000 in 2014, peaked at number 753 in 2017 and ranks 922nd in 2025.