Emma is derived from the german name ermen, which became popular in England after the Norman Conquest. In german, Emma means whole or universal. It is historic, simple and guiding.

It was my great-aunt’s name, I have yet to meet her. Nevertheless, I can imagine that she is especially similar to me, of what stories my father had told me. My mother and close friends might call me Em, which brings out a sense of quick and abrupt like a snap. Em evokes an image of a bright bouquet of flowers. As opposed to Emma, which is sophisticated and formal.   

Emma is similar to the font Garamond or Oxygen. Fixated with clean lines. Em is more of Indie Flower or Caveat Brush. Abstract and creative.

Emma is the smell of a sprig of lavender or a daisy. Like the rain on a spring day with the bees passing from flower to flower. Serene and soothing. Em is a citrus color, bright and exaggerated.

Emma would be a silky and smooth texture, as a smooth jazz, just as how Emma is easy to say. Almost as a whipped, buttery texture. Nicole would be similar to turbulence on an airplane. Rough and adrene-inducing.

Emma is any pastel color, soft and light.The blue violet or the sky on a clear day. Em is a greenish-yellow, vibrant and colorful. A lemon or a lime color in prime picking season.

Emma is the warm feeling of the sun on your skin on a June day. Em is the feeling of wonder and mystery when you see the northern lights. I’ve often wondered how my daily life would be different with a new name. I think name and personality wouldn’t be connected that much, but it would be interesting to experiment.

I would try out a new name, even if Emma always suited me. Even for just a day. Emma was the most popular name for girls in my birth year, so I’m always used to being Emma H, not just Emma. Instead, I would love a name that was unique, yet not too trendy or hard to pronounce. Such as an Olive, Amelie or Vienna.