Amber
Girl name · #521 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Amber? In official American birth records, Amber has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Amber is currently the #521 girl name in the United States — 576 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #334, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,125 girls born in 2025 was named Amber.
Babies named Amber per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Amber first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1986, when 16,954 girls were named Amber — good for #13 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Amber against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Amber in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Amber is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Amber is most common
Geography matters for names, and Amber is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Amber is most common in NV (1.1 per 1,000), UT (0.9 per 1,000), CO (0.8 per 1,000), CA (0.6 per 1,000), WI (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Amber is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Amber
Statistically, parents drawn to Amber tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Amanda, Alicia, Katie, Alison, and Alisha.
AmandaAliciaKatieAlisonAlishaLaceyJessicaDanielle
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Amber | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 576 | #520 |
| 2024 | 562 | #540 |
| 2023 | 519 | #575 |
| 2022 | 570 | #541 |
| 2021 | 579 | #534 |
| 2020 | 596 | #510 |
| 2019 | 653 | #480 |
| 2018 | 666 | #469 |
| 2017 | 782 | #403 |
| 2016 | 872 | #375 |
| 2015 | 978 | #334 |
| 2014 | 1,064 | #305 |
| 2013 | 1,114 | #285 |
| 2012 | 1,237 | #261 |
| 2011 | 1,238 | #258 |
| 2010 | 1,419 | #222 |
| 2009 | 1,775 | #185 |
| 2008 | 2,063 | #165 |
| 2007 | 2,405 | #145 |
| 2006 | 2,588 | #136 |
| 2005 | 3,147 | #101 |
| 2004 | 3,639 | #87 |
| 2003 | 4,123 | #74 |
| 2002 | 4,723 | #65 |
| 2001 | 5,572 | #51 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Amber?
In official American birth records, the name Amber first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 9 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Amber a popular girl name?
Amber ranked #521 among girls in 2025 with 576 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #334.
When was the name Amber most popular?
Amber peaked in 1986, when 16,954 American girls received the name (ranked #13 that year). Since 1986 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Amber?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,125 newborn American girls was named Amber. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.