Girl name · Old English
Ember
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: glowing coalEmber is a girl's name that comes from Old English and means "glowing coal". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Glowing coal
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #154 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Ember
As a girl's name, Ember comes from Old English and means "glowing coal". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Ember on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Ember on 6 lists.
“Small spark that starts a big fire”
From Funny COD names, cool COD names
“A glowing name for a fiery red coat”
From Highland cattle names, highland cow names by coat color
“A warm, glowing name for a calm firefighter”
From Names for firefighters, cool firefighter names
“Glowing coal; English, from an Old English word”
From Names that mean fire, girl names that mean fire
“A glowing coal that keeps the house warm”
From Orange cat names, classic orange cat names
“Glowing coal; Old English. A small spark with big fire”
From Strong female names, badass girl names
How popular is Ember?
- US rank in 2025
- #154
- 1,952 babies, 1,214 per million girls
- Best rank
- #135 in 2024
- 2,183 babies that year
- Babies since 1946
- At least 22,646
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 1 per million |
| 1950s | 1 per million |
| 1960s | 4 per million |
| 1970s | 18 per million |
| 1980s | 27 per million |
| 1990s | 35 per million |
| 2000s | 86 per million |
| 2010s | 490 per million |
| 2020s | 1,130 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #320 | #289 | #208 | #195 | #187 | #163 | #158 | #169 | #135 | #154 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Ember
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- EbereMercy, kindness (Igbo, girl)
- EmelWish, aspiration (Arabic, girl)
- EmeryNorman form of Emmerich, whose second part means ruler (Germanic, unisex)
- EserWork, achievement (Turkish, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- KolbjörnCoal-black bear (Old Norse, boy)
- PrajwalBlazing, glowing (Sanskrit, boy)
- RizpahCoal, hot stone (Hebrew, girl)
Middle names for Ember
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Old English
- EdithRich in war (Old English, girl)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AudreyNoble strength (Old English, girl)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
- SundayDay of the sun (Old English, unisex)
- ÆlfflædElf beauty (Old English, girl)
- ÆlfgifuElf gift (Old English, girl)
- ÆlfthrythElf strength (Old English, girl)
Ember: common questions
What does the name Ember mean?
Ember comes from Old English and means "glowing coal".
Is Ember a boy or girl name?
Ember is mainly a girl's name. In 2025, 1,952 girls and 36 boys in the US were named Ember, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Ember come from?
Ember comes from Old English and means "glowing coal". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Ember?
Ember ranked #154 in the US in 2025, with 1,952 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Ember?
Names spelled like Ember include Ebere, Emel, Emery and Eser.
What middle names go with Ember?
Middle names that flow well with Ember include Blair, Crystal, Frances, Gabrielle and Grace. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.