Meaning and Origin of the Name Amber

The name Amber was originally given to both male and female genders.  In recent years it’s become overwhelmingly a feminine name.

The name Amber has roots in several languages and cultures.

It likely originated from the Arabic word “ʿanbar” meaning “jewel,” though some sources suggest a possible connection to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “sun.”

The name also reflects the fossilized tree resin known as amber, which was prized for its beauty and believed to have magical properties in some cultures. Today, amber is thought of as an orange-yellowish colour in the colour palette.

The meaning of Amber in Arabic means Jewel.

Popularity

The popularity of Amber was mainly popular in the UK and North America. The name Amber was also showcased on the top 100 list of names for young girls in England and in 2013 Amber was the 65 most popular baby girls’s name.

In the United States, it reached its peak rank of 8th in 1981.

Variation of the Name

The name Amber also has many different versions including Ambre, Ambrette, Amberlynn, Amberleigh, Ambar, Amberly, and Ambra.

In other countries variations of the name include

• Ambre (French)
• Amina (Arabic, with a possible connection to “amber”)
• Ámbar (Spanish)
• Ambra (Italian)

Famous People Called Amber

There are also many famous and notable people who share the name Amber. These people include everyone from Amber Tamblyn who is an actress,  Amber MacArthur who is a TV and internet personality from Canada, Amber Campisi, a model and Playmate and Amber Valetta who is an American model and actress.

Not only are there plenty of famous people that share this name but there are also quite a few characters on television shows with this same name. These characters in Amber from the popular TV series Hannah Montana, Amber Volakis from the TV show House, and Amber, who also goes by the name February in the anime TV series Darker Than Black.

In addition to the previously mentioned celebrities, the following people are famous Ambers:

• Arts & Entertainment: Amber Heard (actress), Amber Ruffin (comedian), Amber Riley (singer)
• Sports: Amber Neben (cyclist), Amber Neben (cyclist), Amber Liu (singer)
• Science & Literature: Amber Sevigny (neuroscientist), Amber Haque (novelist)

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other English girls’ names.