Ember Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

Ember

2 syllables

♀ Female ◎ Modern American ◈ 2 syllables

"Fire, warmth and glowing light."

From Modern American

Ember is a spark refusing to die — the glowing coal that holds fire's last warmth and first promise. It's one of the newest nature-adjacent names to enter the charts, carrying a warmth that is quiet but persistent. Not a flame, not a blaze — an ember is the part of fire that endures. The City of Ember (2003 novel) gave the word narrative power. It sounds like a name that carries its own light.

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Ember at a glance

MeaningFire, warmth and glowing light.

OriginModern American

GenderFemale

Syllables2

NumerologyLife Path 7

US Rank (today)#219

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Why parents love Ember

An ember is the most resilient part of fire — warmth that endures.
Two syllables with a warm, glowing sound: EM-ber.
The City of Ember gives it literary-adventure cachet.
It sounds like a blend of Emma and Amber — familiar but fresh.
It's rising fast but still distinctive — the perfect window.

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The vibe of Ember

glowingwarmresilientpersistentfirequietluminousenduring

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Origin & history of Ember

Old English æmerge (ember, glowing coal) → English ember → given name Ember

Modern American roots

Ember comes from the Old English æmerge, meaning a glowing coal — the residual heat after a fire's flames have died. As a given name, Ember is a 21st-century creation, part of the word-name trend that values evocative meaning and distinctive sound. Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember (2003), a post-apocalyptic young adult novel, gave the word a narrative association. The name entered the US charts in the 2010s and has climbed rapidly, appealing to parents drawn to fire names (also see Blaze, Phoenix) but wanting something quieter and more feminine.

First recorded

Earliest known use: Modern usage as a given name from the 2000s-2010s.

Today

Ember remains a beloved choice, ranking #219 in the US. 21,059 babies have been named Ember since 1946.

◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data

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How popular is Ember?

2024 peak year

The name Ember reached its peak in 2024, with 2,172 registrations (ranked #137). The name has actually been around since 1946 — over a century — though it took until recently to find its widest audience. Since the peak, the name has eased to around #219 today, averaging about 1,540 new babies per year. Ember has been trending upward in recent years. Across all years on record, approximately 21,059 American babies have carried this name.

Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data

2,172 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #137)

1,540 Avg. per year
(last decade)

15,400 Total registrations
last 10 years

21,059 All-time total
(since 1880)

Popularity in the US today (rank #219) Very popular

↑ Trending upward in recent years

📊 Check all names registered in the United States →

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Numerology of Ember

Life path number

The Seeker

Wisdom, introspection and spiritual depth.

Ember's Life Path 5 is the adventurer's number — fitting for a spark that refuses to go out. People named Ember tend to be quietly persistent, warm, and capable of reigniting when everyone else has gone cold. Their fire is the lasting kind.

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Quietly persistent

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Refuses to go out

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Reignites from within

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Lasting warmth

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The fire that endures

Sum: 25 → Life path 7

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