How many emojis are there?
The emoji catalogue contains thousands of distinct sequences, with even more once you include skin-tone and gender variations. Here’s the breakdown and the record-holder for the longest emoji name.
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How many emojis are there in total?
The full emoji set includes 3,963 distinct sequences. That number accounts for every skin-tone variant, gender option, and flag combination defined in the standard. Flags alone make up 258 entries, each built from two regional indicator symbols that render as a single flag.
When you strip out skin-tone modifiers, the count falls to 1,923 base emoji. These are the versions you see before any specific skin colour is applied—typically the classic yellow-toned people alongside animals, food, objects, and symbols.
Why the emoji count changes
Emoji are not a fixed set. New symbols are approved through the Unicode Consortium process, and each approval adds to the total. Composite sequences also push the number up: for example, family emoji use zero-width joiners to combine multiple people into one displayed emoji.
- Skin-tone variants: every person emoji with tone support can appear in five additional shades.
- Flag sequences: 258 country flags each pair two regional indicators into one flag.
- Zero-width joiner sequences: families, couples, and professions built from multiple characters.
- Gender variants: many roles have separate male, female, and neutral versions.
Skin-tone modifiers are the biggest multiplier. Many base people emoji can appear in five extra tones, which is why the full count is roughly double the base count. See the skin-tone modifier page for a complete breakdown of tones and how they affect the total.
What counts as an emoji sequence?
An emoji sequence is a string of one or more code points that renders as a single emoji. Many common emoji are single characters, like 😀, but others combine a base character with modifiers or joiners. For instance, the couple with heart: woman, man emoji 👩❤️👨 uses multiple code points joined together.
The full count includes every distinct sequence, while the base count excludes skin-tone sequences. Some sequences, such as family emoji, can have dozens of variants depending on the number and skin tones of the people shown.
The longest emoji name
Among all sequences in the data, the longest official name belongs to the emoji 🧑🏼❤️🧑🏾. Its CLDR label is “couple with heart: person, person, medium-light skin tone, medium-dark skin tone”, which runs to 80 characters. That length comes from specifying two people, the relationship, and each person’s skin tone individually.
CLDR names are the official labels used across platforms, and this example shows how detailed skin-tone and relationship combinations can get. The emoji depicts two people with different skin tones in a romantic couple, and the name spells out every part of that combination.
Using the emoji count in practice
Knowing the total helps when you’re browsing emoji directories or working with databases. If you need a full list, the emoji meanings page groups every emoji by category for easier scanning. You can also search for a specific symbol by name.
For developers, keep in mind that the full figure includes sequences that are multiple code points. When storing or transmitting emoji, treat them as strings rather than single characters. To copy the longest-named emoji, select 🧑🏼❤️🧑🏾 directly from this page.
Questions people ask
How many emojis are there in total?
The latest Unicode data lists 3,963 emoji sequences, including all skin-tone, gender, and flag variants. Without skin-tone modifiers, there are 1,923 base emoji.
How many emojis are there without skin tones?
Removing skin-tone modifiers leaves 1,923 base emoji. These are the standard yellow-toned people and all non-people emoji such as animals, food, and symbols.
What is the longest emoji name?
The longest official name is “couple with heart: person, person, medium-light skin tone, medium-dark skin tone” for 🧑🏼❤️🧑🏾, at 80 characters.
Why does the emoji count keep going up?
New emoji are approved regularly, and composite sequences like families and skin-tone variants are added as separate entries. Each addition increases the total number of sequences.
Where can I find a complete list of all emoji?
The emoji meanings page on this site groups every emoji by category, making it easy to browse the full set. You can also use the search function to find specific symbols.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the Emoji Directory editorial team, without ads or sponsorship. Meanings describe how the emoji is commonly used in public posts and messages, not an official definition. Names, code points, versions, keywords and translations come from the Unicode Emoji 18.0 and CLDR data; shortcodes from the gemoji project. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
