Emsley?

megs_glo

What do you think of Emsley?  It is a girl's name and means Gift from God.  I thought it was pretty and unique without being too weird.  We would also consider Emmie for a nn.

forensicmama

Despite the fact that it's apparently a real name, it sounds made-up and Teen Mom-ish. My favorite Em-name is Emmeline. I do still love Emily and Emma, despite their popularity.

kbratton2king

Eh, don't like it. Def sounds made up and masculine. How about Emory/Emery?

jobiann

Not my style...

elle80

I have never heard it before and would think it was made up.  But if it's real and you like it, then that's all that matters.

strangebird

I don't know where you got your information, but I'm confident Emsley is a modern invention. It also does not mean "Gift of God." That would be etymologically impossible. You can't believe the meanings behind every name you find online or in baby name books--a very limited number of those sources are reliable. There are two reliable websites: behindthename.com and babynamespedia.com, both of which are well-researched and base their information on history and etymology.

The em- root is derived from the Germanic root word amal- meaning "to work/work/worker." The -sley ending is reduced to -ley, -lee, and finally -leah which means "wood/meadow/field/clearing." So, roughly, Emsley means "working meadow/wood working/field worker," or some other variation that can be derived from those two separate roots.

ETA: On second though, Emsley could be derived from the root ermen/erm- meaning "whole/universal," too. That would change the meaning a bit. Giving you something like "universal field/whole field/whole clearing," and you can interpret that to mean many things. 

The reason I strongly suspect the name is a modern invention is both of the roots contained in it are Germanic, but the name's make-up is undeniably English in appearance. All names are invented at some point, so I'm not necessarily opposed to modern inventions--this one isn't bad, in fact and I love the nickname Emme. But, please, do not go around telling people it means "gift from God." It doesn't. It can't. 

BlueRidge8

Yeah I'm curious what language would get Gift from God out of Emsley.

It's NMS. 

inque223

Don't like.

Reminds me of Helmsley...like the crazy rich lady Leona Hemlsey. 

ckmommy

inque223:

Don't like.

Reminds me of Helmsley...like the crazy rich lady Leona Hemlsey. 

This was my first thought. Oh and the fact that she left her fourtune to her dog.

Disneygeek77

Yep names that  end in Ley mean meadow or field.  I don't know how it  can mean gift from God either. 

WifeofaMarine

forensicmama:

Despite the fact that it's apparently a real name, it sounds made-up and Teen Mom-ish. My favorite Em-name is Emmeline. I do still love Emily and Emma, despite their popularity.

This 

ames71

inque223:

Don't like.

Reminds me of Helmsley...like the crazy rich lady Leona Hemlsey. 

Exactly what I thought. 

braveangel2

::face palm::

I didn't know the LEY craze would touch the EM popularity like this. I hear Em's Lee...a posession. Or maybe a street name. It seems trendy and invented, but I suppose if I had say something nice...um....it's not spelled cre8ively?

braveangel2

stw_77:

Yep names that  end in Ley mean meadow or field.  I don't know how it  can mean gift from God either. 

And according to one of my first boyfriends, his name meant gift from God

sunnyday016

Looks totally made up, silly, and cutesy.

metzy144

forensicmama:

Despite the fact that it's apparently a real name, it sounds made-up and Teen Mom-ish. My favorite Em-name is Emmeline. I do still love Emily and Emma, despite their popularity.

this

mrs.amandamm

strangebird:

There are two reliable websites: behindthename.com and babynamespedia.com, both of which are well-researched and base their information on history and etymology.

THANK YOU!  My oldest daughter's name is on the babynamespedia website, EVERYONE acts like I made it up!  

(I think the got 'Gift from God' from the baby name wizard website, when I read this, I googled the name, and it showed up there, meaning that.)

HannahO28

sunnyday016:

Looks totally made up, silly, and cutesy.

this. exactly. 

Julietdunbar

It sounds like another made-up american name.

brookelynpaisley

I literally just went "ugh" at my desk when I saw the post title, so I guess that's how I feel about it.

ruggershattowedding

I love it. I hope you named her this sweetie. FYI: i looked this name up on babynamespedia.com and they said "gift from God" don't listen to these ladies. I know im alil late but i love it

PinkKEL9

It is very "cutesy" sounding. Not sure how that would look on a professional adult. 

Ceridwen21

Looks silly and made up, and I definitely wouldn't use it if I already had an Ellie.

Pepper6

It looks like a made-up name, but my issue is more that it's too cutesy looking and feels like a very disjointed word to say.  There are MUCH better 'Em' name options IMO.

Pepper6

mjreilly2 said:

@Ceridwen21 The post is 3 years old. She was considering it for her twins. @ruggershattowedding decided to did it up for her first post to tell OP that she loved it and shouldn't listen to anyone who posted.

ARGH!!!  This is why old posts should be closed!  I hate wasting my time commenting on something this old, but don't always pay attention to the original post date.  Lame!

Ceridwen21

Annoying.

Ceridwen21

ruggershattowedding said:

I love it. I hope you named her this sweetie. FYI: i looked this name up on babynamespedia.com and they said "gift from God" don't listen to these ladies. I know im alil late but i love it

Ya, just a 'lil late.

catahoulatte

HisGirlFriday929 said:

mjreilly2 said:

@Ceridwen21 The post is 3 years old. She was considering it for her twins. @ruggershattowedding decided to dig it up for her first post to tell OP that she loved it and shouldn't listen to anyone who posted.

Hahaha - I noticed that & that's why I haven't commented yet.  Did you see who "loved" it?

Lil Miss "I'm not judgemental, you big fat jerks!!"? Hah, oh yes. Shocking.

queenbone

I miss a lot of these old posters.

JayJay1212

Emsley sounds like a really drunk person slurring Emily.

ETA: Oops. Just read on and realized this was really old.