Entry № 344 · Arabic origin

Amber Amber — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ AM-ber /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Arabic
Meaning
"Fossilized resin (Amber Riley, Glee; Amber Tamblyn)"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 320
First recorded
Medieval (Arabic)

A name that means "fossilized resin (amber riley, glee; amber tamblyn)".

Amber is from the Arabic ʿanbar (عنبر) — originally referring to ambergris, later transferred to the fossilized tree resin that became a precious gemstone. Baltic amber has been traded along the "Amber Road" trade route since 3000 BCE; the largest single piece (the Burmese Hoff Amber) weighs 33 lbs. A top-15 US baby name from 1981 to 2002, peaking at #13 in 1986. Amber Riley (born 1986) — *American actress and singer; played Mercedes Jones on Fox's Glee (2009-2015) for six seasons; won the Mirrorball Trophy on Dancing with the Stars season 17 (2013), the first Black woman to win the competition. West End Olivier Award for Dreamgirls (2017). Amber Tamblyn (born 1983)Joan of Arcadia (2003-2005), The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005); Time's Up activist; published Era of Ignition (2019). Amber Rose (born 1983) — American model; founded the Amber Rose SlutWalk in Los Angeles (2015), one of the longest-running American feminist marches. Amber Ruffin — Emmy-nominated Late Night with Seth Meyers writer; The Amber Ruffin Show* (Peacock 2020-2022). Amber Heard — actress.

Featured throughout 1980s-2020s American culture.

Fossilized resin. Amber Riley played Mercedes on Glee + first Black woman to win Dancing with the Stars.

The name in its native script.

عنبر
Transliteration
ʿAnbar
Pronunciation
/ ˈæm.bər /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Amber stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 320 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 13 in 1986
Babies named Amber · last year
970 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1880
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · #13 NOW · #320

Ambers before her.

Real people
Amber Riley
American actress (Glee).
born 1986
Amber Tamblyn
American actress and activist.
born 1983
Amber Rose
American model.
born 1983
Amber Ruffin
American comedian.
born 1979
In fiction
Mercedes Jones
Glee.
2009

Names connected to Amber.

The number behind Amber.

5

The Free Spirit

Amber reduces to five — the number of Amber Road.

Why families chose this name.

"Riley's gem. Five letters. Amber."
Eleanor · Mother of one · Los Angeles