Girl name · English
Ember
“a glowing ember, smouldering fire”
Vibes
Common nicknames
Short-forms and diminutives parents often use for Ember.
Explore Ember further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Ember — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Ember is the word — Old English æmerge, the hot remains of a fire after the flame has gone. It is a recent name, entering the US top 1000 only in 2009, and belongs to the same wave as Wren and Sage that took ordinary English nouns and gave them to girls.
It also shadows Amber closely enough that the two are frequently confused, which is most of its appeal to parents who want Amber's shape without Amber's 1980s date stamp.
Two syllables, said EM-ber. On our vibe map it is Nature-Inspired with Boho colour.
More English names
Ember sits in our English set — these share its roots.
All English names →Ember — common questions
Is Ember a boy or girl name?
Ember is traditionally a girl name of English origin.
What does the name Ember mean?
Ember means “a glowing ember, smouldering fire” of English origin. Ember is the word — Old English æmerge, the hot remains of a fire after the flame has gone. It is a recent name, entering the US top 1000 only in 2009, and belongs to the same wave as Wren and Sage that took ordinary English nouns and gave them to girls.
Where does the name Ember come from?
Ember is English in origin. It also shadows Amber closely enough that the two are frequently confused, which is most of its appeal to parents who want Amber's shape without Amber's 1980s date stamp.
What are common nicknames for Ember?
Em and Emmy — the short-forms parents most often use for Ember.
How popular is Ember?
Ember did not make the top 1,000 girls' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Ember you might want for the nursery.