The name Emily is a great name with Biblical significance. It has a great history and meaning behind it that can reveal spiritual truth. You might find yourself asking “Is Emily in the Bible?”
Unfortunately, Emily is not in the Bible, but its meanings are topics found in the Bible. Emily means rival, industrious, and striving and each one of those topics is discussed in the Bible.
Emily has a Latin Origin
The name, Emily, did not come from the English language. Rather, it comes from the Latin language.
Not only that but the name was translated into many different languages before becoming a part of the English-speaking world. English-speaking countries adopted the name through various translations.
Originally, Emily came from the Latin word Aemulus. Aemulus has 3 meanings: striving, rival, and industrious.
Emily comes from a Roman Family
Although it came from the Latin language, Emily was derived from a Roman family. Originally, Emily came from the Roman family name Aemilius. This is probably where the name Amelia came from also.
Roman is viewed as one of the strongest and most prominent empires in world history. People look back at ancient times and marvel at the greatness that Rome once had.
Since Roman is so highly valued, Emily has a rich history. There is so much culture behind the Roman Empire, and it is worth studying.
Emily has 3 Meanings
The significance of the name Emily is found in its Latin origin. The word Aemulus reveals 3 potential interpretations for the name, and each of these definitions provides a significant meaning.
The meaning of Emily can be consolidated into one word: hard-working. To rival, be industrious, and strive all point to hard work.
Each specific meaning, however, can bring a richer interpretation to the name. We will look at each meaning, and uncover what it means.
Emily Means Rival
The first meaning of Emily’s name is to rival. According to Merriam-Webster, Rival means, “a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or superiority in the same field of activity.”
Rome was a very competitive nation, and they valued rivalry. They even hosted colosseum games, where people would compete against each other in different events.
Honor was a big part of Roman society too. People were always seeking glory and riches, so it makes sense that this name became a staple in the Roman world.
Emily means rival, which demonstrates a competitive spirit.
Emily Means Industrious
The second meaning of the name Emily is industrious. Although rivals can have negative meanings, being industrious is almost always a good thing. Merriam-Webster defines industrious as, “constantly, regularly, or habitually active or occupied”
To the Romans, this would have also been considered a great thing. Productivity and performance were staples in the Roman empire.
Turning to the current state of the world, being industrious is one of the most important traits. Society has built a world on achievement and performance, so being industrious is important. However, many are concerned about the hyper-productive society we’ve created and question whether it is healthy.
Regardless, being industrious is viewed as a positive thing, and is an honorable part of life.
Emily Means Striving
The final meaning of the name Emily is striving. Merriam-Webster defines striving as “to devote serious effort or energy.”
Industrious points to the habit of being active, whereas striving directs us to the level of effort in our activity. Combining industriousness and striving develops a hard-working life.
These 3 meanings, striving, industrious, and rival, combine to depict a hard-working person. Someone who strives puts a lot of energy into the things they do, and someone who is industrious is constantly working. Lastly, someone with a rival might have more motivation to strive and be industrious for longer.
Emily is Not in the Bible
The name Emily has no specific Biblical connection. Although Emily comes from the Roman empire, which took place during the time of Jesus Christ, Emily is not found in the Bible.
Like many other names, Emily is left out of the Bible. However, that does not mean that Emily has no spiritual significance. It can still be used to prompt spiritual growth.
3 Ways Emily Relates to the Bible
Emily isn’t in the Bible, but its meanings are. Each meaning of Emily’s name has biblical roots. It all comes down to the way we interpret the name.
Emily might not be a Christian name, but by studying the times of striving, rivalry, and industriousness in the Bible, we can assign Biblical significance to the name. Thus a better understanding of the significance of names in the Bible.
In the next few sections, we will look at the Biblical principles of rivalry, striving, and being industrious. Then, we will observe a direct Biblical reference for each, and discover the religious observances we can do to amplify those traits in our lives.
Rivalry in Scripture
Rivalry is a topic in scripture. Many biblical figures had rivalries. Jacob and Esau were brothers, and they fought for years. The Israelites rivaled many other nations in their history, so rivalry is a topic in scripture.
However, in the New Testament, rivalry is condemned. The Apostle Paul wrote this in Galatians, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21
Rivalry is something that God does not like. It is a work of the flesh because Christ Jesus taught us to love enemies. He taught me to pray for people who persecute you.
Beyond that people think that God and the devil are rivals, but that is not true. Rivalries need competition, and there is no competition between God and the devil. Isaiah 46:5 says, “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?”
No one compares to God, so no one can rival God. Not even the devil can be measured against God’s glorious standard.
Industriousness in Scripture
Industriousness is another topic evoked by scripture. The Biblical character, Jacob, worked continuously for his wife, and the Proverbs teach us to constantly work hard.
The author of Proverbs, King Solomon, was a significant figure in the Bible. He was the wisest man to ever live, and he recorded his wisdom in the book of Proverbs.
In Solomon’s wisdom writing, he wrote, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?” Proverbs 6:6-9
In the Biblical context, God had called people to subdue the Earth. He has called us to be industrious, so when we don’t do that we get in trouble.
Ants are used here as an example of what it means to be industrious and to prepare ahead of time. We can learn a lesson from the ants. Work constantly during the harvest, and prepare for the things ahead.
We can prepare ourselves spiritually by spending time with God, and we can prepare ourselves financially for saving for retirement. No one wants to get to the end of their time and realize they didn’t prepare adequately.
This same message is communicated in the story of the good stewards. A man gave 3 of his servants money, and two of them added two of it. One hid the money and was rebuked for it.
Striving in Scripture
Striving is the final element of Emily’s name. It also has Biblical significance. Hard work is something that is honored in the Bible.
The Old Testament teaches about the sabbath and reminds us that we should have time to rest. However, when we are working we should be working hard.
The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Colossians, “23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24
These Biblical texts point to the importance of hard work and unwavering faith. Biblical times were much like they are today, people were lazy. Leisure was a priority to their society, so God wanted his people to be set apart through good work.
We can cultivate the practice of working hard by reminding ourselves that we are working for God. When working for a boss, it can be easy to get discouraged at times, but when we work for the Lord, we are reminded of the joy of our work.
Emily is a Popular Name
Emily is a popular choice for a name in the United States. It has been used in the US for centuries and has been popular for the majority of it.
This chart shows the popularity of the name Emily in the United States. You can see that Emily was popular in the early 1900s, then became less popular in the mid-20th century. However, at the end of the 1900s, it became popular again.
Ultimately, the way that you interpret this data depends on your personal preference. Some people like having uncommon names, whereas others will see this as a sign that Emily is a good name that many people want to use.
Emily is a Girl’s Name
Emily is a female given name. It has almost exclusively been used as a girl’s name throughout history.
It originated as a surname, but now it is most commonly a first name for girls. Although names aren’t specifically tied to one gender, Emily is commonly used as a girl’s name in the 21st century.
Emily is a good baby name
Ultimately, Emily is a great baby name. If you are looking for a name for your child, Emily is a great option. It has been popular for a long time, it has great meaning, and it can remind you of some Biblical principles.
Emily has a great history. Latin is one of the most foundational languages, and Rome was a great society. Those are the two places that the name Emily came from.
Beyond that, Emily has been popular for centuries. Its popularity has gone up and down, but amongst girl names, it is one of the top names.
Emily also can be viewed as a Christian girl name, because of the principles its meaning depicts. Striving, rivalry, and perseverance are all principles in the Bible.
If you choose Emily as a name, it comes down to personal preference. It has a great history and meaning, but it is ultimately up to your personal preference if you choose this name.
