NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Ember

Derived from the English word "ember" referring to small, glowing fragments of coal or wood.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Ember is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Ember popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #247, with 194 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 194 births.

This profile covers 1,114 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 2000 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Ember is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 1,202 living people in the UK are called Ember. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Ember ranked #247 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 194 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 194 girls were registered as Ember.
  • Ember ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #215 in 2024.
  • About 1,202 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ember as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 98.5% of Ember registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#247

2024

Births in 2024

194

Latest year

Peak year

2024

194 births

Estimated living

1,202

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Ember

In England and Wales birth records, Ember has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 1.5% of registrations are for boys and 98.5% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

98% girls
Boys17 (1.5%)Girls1,114 (98.5%)

Ember registered for boys

  • Ranked #4,270 in 2024
  • 4 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (8 births)

Ember registered for girls

  • Ranked #247 in 2024
  • 194 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2024 (194 births)

Meaning

What does Ember mean?

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.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ember over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Ember in England and Wales, from 2000 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Ember, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 194 births in 2024, compared with 194 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
05099149198200020122024

Decades

Ember by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ember was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #372 621 5
2010s #1113 449 10
2000s #3434 44 7

Geography

Where Ember is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ember. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Ember ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #215 in 2024.

Scotland
17
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Ember in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#215 in 2024

10 years of NRS records, 80 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#407 in 2024

3 years of NISRA records, 13 total registered

Related

Names similar to Ember

FAQ

Ember: questions and answers

How popular is the name Ember in the UK right now?

In 2024, Ember was ranked #247 for girls in England and Wales, with 194 births registered.

When was Ember most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 194 babies registered as Ember in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ember?

Derived from the English word "ember" referring to small, glowing fragments of coal or wood.

How many people are called Ember in the UK?

A total of 1,114 babies have been registered as Ember across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 80 more in Scotland and 13 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Ember most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Ember ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #215 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.