Ember
Derived from the English word "ember" referring to small, glowing fragments of coal or wood.
Name Census estimates that about 20,827 living Americans carry the first name Ember. It sits at #137 in the overall ranking, outside the top 50 but still well-represented. It is a predominantly female name (98.2% of registrations). The average person named Ember today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ember births was 2024 (2,210 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ember. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Although Ember is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 389 boys registered with the name since 1880.
- • Ember is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 10 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
21K
~ 1 in 16,457 Americans
Peak year
2024
2,210 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#137
Tracked since 1946
Gender
Gender distribution for Ember
Ember leans heavily female at 98.2% of total registrations, but 389 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Ember as a male name
- Ranked #3,168 in 2024
- 38 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (57 births)
Ember as a female name
- Ranked #137 in 2024
- 2,172 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (2,172 births)
Popularity
Ember: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ember from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 9,225 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ember by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ember during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Embers live
The SSA's state-level files cover 49 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Ember, while Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 380 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ember
The name Ember has its origins in the English language and is derived from the Old English word "æmyrian," meaning "to burn in ashes." This connection to fire and burning embers gives the name a unique and evocative meaning.
In Old English literature, the word "æmyrian" was used to describe the burning of materials, such as wood or coal, until they were reduced to glowing embers. The name Ember likely emerged as a way to capture this vivid imagery and associate it with a person.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Ember can be found in the 16th century. Ember Halliday was a prominent English merchant who lived in London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was known for his successful trading ventures and philanthropic contributions to the city.
In the 17th century, Ember Wilkins was a notable English botanist and naturalist. She wrote extensively on the flora and fauna of the English countryside and is credited with discovering several new plant species.
During the 18th century, Ember Nightingale was a celebrated English opera singer who performed at the Theatre Royal in London. Her powerful voice and captivating stage presence earned her widespread acclaim and admiration from audiences across Europe.
In the 19th century, Ember Browning was a renowned English poet and author. Her works often explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. She is considered one of the most influential poets of the Victorian era.
Another notable figure with the name Ember was Ember Radcliffe, an English suffragette who fought tirelessly for women's right to vote in the early 20th century. She was a powerful orator and activist, and her efforts contributed to the eventual passage of the Representation of the People Act in 1918.
While the name Ember has its roots in Old English, it has gained popularity in recent years as a unique and meaningful choice for baby names. Its connection to fire and burning embers gives it a sense of strength, passion, and warmth, making it an attractive option for parents seeking a distinctive and evocative name for their child.
People
Ember + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ember as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ember: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ember?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 20,827 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ember going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 16,457 US residents.
Is Ember a common name?
We classify Ember as "Uncommon". It ranks above 98.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 21,059 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ember most popular?
The single biggest year for Ember was 2024, when 2,210 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ember is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ember a female name?
Yes, 98.2% of people registered as Ember in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.