Emberley
An English name of uncertain origin, possibly related to ember or embers.
Name Census estimates that about 344 living Americans carry the first name Emberley. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Emberley today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Emberley births was 2019 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Emberley. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Emberley with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
344
~ 1 in 996,379 Americans
Peak year
2019
45 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,793
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Emberley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Emberley from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 185 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
Emberley 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 Emberley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Emberleys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, Michigan, Ohio recorded the most babies named Emberley, while Ohio, Michigan, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Emberley
The name Emberley is a unique and intriguing one, with origins that can be traced back to the ancient Celtic cultures of the British Isles. It is believed to have evolved from the Old English word "embyr," which means "ember" or "spark." This connection to the elemental nature of fire suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who worked with fire, such as blacksmiths or potters.
In the early medieval period, the name Emberley began to appear in various historical records and documents, primarily in regions with strong Celtic influences, such as Wales, Ireland, and parts of Scotland. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Emberley of Powys, a Welsh nobleman who lived in the 9th century and was known for his bravery in defending his lands against Saxon invaders.
As the centuries passed, the name Emberley continued to be used, albeit relatively infrequently, across various parts of the British Isles. In the 14th century, there are records of a renowned scholar named Emberley of Oxfordshire, who contributed significantly to the study of ancient texts and manuscripts during his lifetime.
During the Renaissance, a notable figure bearing the name Emberley was Sir Thomas Emberley, an English explorer and navigator who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his famous circumnavigation of the globe in the late 16th century. Sir Thomas played a crucial role in charting new trade routes and establishing diplomatic relations with various indigenous populations encountered during the voyage.
In the realm of literature, the name Emberley is associated with the 18th-century Irish poet and playwright, Emberley O'Connell, whose works were celebrated for their vivid imagery and insightful commentary on the social and political landscapes of the time.
Another notable figure was Emberley Hawthorne, an American artist and illustrator who lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His whimsical and distinctive style made him a beloved figure in the world of children's literature, and his illustrations graced the pages of numerous beloved books.
While the name Emberley may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and evocative meaning continue to captivate those who encounter it. From the embers of ancient Celtic cultures to the sparks of creativity and exploration, the name Emberley has left an indelible mark on the tapestry of human history.
People
Emberley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Emberley 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
Emberley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Emberley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 344 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Emberley 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 996,379 US residents.
Is Emberley a common name?
We classify Emberley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 346 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Emberley most popular?
The single biggest year for Emberley was 2019, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Emberley is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Emberley in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Emberley a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Emberley 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.
Is Emberley still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Emberley in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Emberley can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Emberley?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Emberley on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.