Emilie

Emilie is the German, Scandinavian, and Czech form of the Latin name Aemilia, the feminine counterpart of the old Roman family name Aemilius, which is believed to derive from the Latin root aemulus, meaning rival or striving to equal. The Aemilii were a prominent plebeian gens in ancient Rome, lending the name long-standing classical prestige. The French form Émilie gained wide recognition through Voltaire's companion Émilie du Châtelet, the renowned 18th-century mathematician and physicist. Related forms include Emily, Emilia, Amélie, and Amelia.