Category Archives: Autumn/Fall Names

Ember

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roasting marshmallow
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  • Origin: English
  • Gender: unisex, but mostly feminine
  • First Est. 1870s

From the English word taken from ember, a glowing coal or spark, it is ultimately from the Anglo-Saxon, æmerge. As a given-name, its use arose in 19th-century North America, mainly used among males but there are records of female Embers by the early 1900s. Ember is identical in form to the Hungarian word ember, meaning “man, human being.” In Hungary it appears as a surname as well, though unrelated to the English word. By the late 20th-century, the name became exclusively feminine, possibly due to its similarity to the more popular Amber.

In the United States, Ember entered the Top 1000 in 2009, rose quickly through the 2010s, and continues to chart primarily as a girls’ name. Emberly, Emberlyn, and Emberlee emerged as elaborations following the same trend. As of 2024, Ember itself ranked in as the 124th most popular female name in the United States. In England & Wales (2024), it comes in as the 247th most popular female name.

Ember feels cozy and bright.

Ember in foreign languages

This is the word “ember” in other languages, ones actually used as names will have an asterix, historical use but now obsolete will have “h*” next to it. Others may be inspirations for a unique baby name that honours your heritage

  • Ikatz (Basque)
  • Txingarra (Basque)
  • Žar (Bosnian)
  • Tanenn (Breton)
  • Ascua, Brasa (Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish)
  • Glød h* (Danish, Norwegian)
  • Glóð h* (Faroese, Iceland, also used as a name though rarely, the original form of Glut)
  • Braise (French)
  • Griosach (Gaelic)
  • Glut h* (German, also found in Norse Mythology as the name of the wife of Logi (the personification of fire).
  • Brace (Italian)
  • Embera* (Latvian – a modern Lettonized form of the English, Ember)
  • Žarija* (Lithuanian – female name)
  • Żar (Polish)
  • Braisa (Romansch)
  • Angara (Sanskrit)
  • Glöd h* (Swedish)
  • Kor* (Turkish – male name)
  • Bresych (Welsh)

Sibling names for Ember

Male: Archer, Ari, Asher, Atticus, Axel, Basil, Beau, Beckett, Birch, Bix, Bjorn, Blaise, Boaz, Boston, Brent, Brook(s), Cadmus, Camden, Cannon, Casper, Cato, Chance, Chase, Chester, Clay, Cole, Corbin, Crispin, Dallas, Dale, Dashiell, Dawson, Denver, Dexter, Dorian, Drew, Dublin, Dylan, Easton, Errol, Everett, Finch, For(r)est, Fox, Frisco, Frost, Gage, Glenn, Gray/Grey, Grayson, Griffin, Hale, Hayden, Heath, Hendrix, Houston, Hudson, Hunter, Jagger, Jasper, Jett, Kai, Keanu, Lachlan, Lennox, Lex, Lincoln, Lorcan, Macon, Moss, Nash, Oak(es), Orion, Peregrine, Phoenix, Rex, Rhett, Ryder, Rio, River(s), Rock, Rowan, Ryker, Slate(er), Steel, Sterling, Stone, Storm, Taj, Thatcher, Thorn, Trout, True, Wilder, Wolf, Zale, Zane, Zayden, Zebulon.

Female: Alchemy, Amethyst, Aspen, Auburn, Autumn, Avalon, Avonleigh, Azure, Beige, Beryl, Bijou, Bliss, Blossom, Blue, Blythe, Briar, Brook(e), Burgundy, Cadence, Calico, Cambrie/Cambry, Cameo, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Clarity, Coral, Cricket, Crimson, Dandelion, Dawn, Delta, Echo, Eden, Emerald, Eos, Ever, Fallon, Fawn, Fern, Garnet, Genesis, Harmony, Harper, Haven, Hazel, Heather, Heaven, Indigo, Ivy, Jade, Journey, Kismet, Lapis, Lark, Lazuli, Lyric, Lucidity, Luna, Magnolia, Marigold, Meadow, Nevaeh, Nova, Ocea, Opal, Peridot, Piper, Rain, Sage, Sky(e), Skyla, Teal, Tyla, Umbria/Umber, Willow

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Bramble

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crop woman in jacket showing berries
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  • Origin: English (nature word-name)
  • Meaning: “thorny shrub,” “blackberry bush”
  • Other forms: Brambler, Bramblett
  • Gender: Unisex

From the Old English bræmel, Bramble originally referred to any rough, prickly shrub — most often the wild blackberry. As a word-name, it belongs to the same lush, tactile family as Rowan and Briar but with an edgier, woodland quality.

However, its usage is not so recent, as there are many records for male Brambles (particularly in the American South), starting in the 1910s. In this case, it was likely used in reference to an English surname of the same meaning. Also found is Brambler (occasionally unisex) and Bramblett (mostly male).

The name was famously used in Heather Dixon’s 2011 fantasy novel Entwined, where Bramble is the fierce, impulsive second of twelve princesses.

Sibling Names (Unisex): Aspen, Briar, Clover, Dale, Eden, Fallon, Greenlee, Harvest, Indigo, Juniper, Larkspur, Onyx, Paisley, Rowan, Sage, Valley

Brother Names: Ash, Brecken, Chester, Dexter, Easton, Finch, Greyson, Hudson, Jett, Kai, Landry, Moss, North, Orion, Pace, Quinn, Rock, Stone, Timber, Wilder

Sister Names: Aster, Fawn, Fable, Fern, Laken, Lakelyn, Lark, Meadow, Nell, Olive, Prairie, Rain, Sable, Teal, Umber, Willow.

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Poe

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book and a cup of coffee on the bed
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  • Origin: English/Welsh
  • Meaning: “peacock;” or “son of Hugh.”
  • Gender: Unisex
  • First Est. 1880s

From the transferred use of the English surname Poe. The surname is possibly derived from the Middle English po or pawe, meaning “peacock,” a nickname originally given to someone considered showy, proud, or flamboyant. Alternatively, Poe may represent an Anglicized form of the Welsh patronymic ap Hugh (“son of Hugh”). A less common variant, Poë (rhymes with Chloe or Zoe), appears in Irish baronetcies and may reflect a separate family line but seems to be related.

It may also be an Anglicized form of the German surname, Pfau (peacock).

The surname gained literary immortality through Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), the celebrated American poet and author. After his death, the name began appearing as a given name—predominantly masculine—throughout the late 19th century, often paired with Edgar or Allen in homage to the writer.

In recent decades, Poe has re-emerged in popular culture through Poe Dameron, the daring Resistance pilot in the Star Wars franchise—lending the name a sleek, modern edge while preserving its timeless, artistic mystique.

In recent decades, Poe has seen rare but notable use for girls as well, its brevity and darkly romantic associations giving it gender-neutral appeal.

Minimalist yet evocative, Poe carries a distinctly literary, Gothic, and Bohemian character. With its one-syllable punch and artistic aura, it’s the perfect choice for the modern romantic or literary enthusiast seeking a name of quiet intensity.

Sister Names: Arwen, Boux, Brontë, Cloudsley, Elowen, Faye, Greenley, Halo, Harper, Indie, Lark, Lumen, Lux, Meadow, Noa, Onyx, Paisley, Roux, Rue, Rumer, Sage, Scout, Sky(e), Truett, Wren

Brother Names: Adler, Beck, Bram, Brooks, Byron, Cove, Dorian, Everett, Finn, Grey, Holden, Jagger, Kylo, Lock, Maddox, Preston, Quinn, Rhett, Rhys, Stone, Thorne, Wilde

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Apple

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  • Origin: English
  • Gender: Female

The name Apple is taken directly from the English word for the fruit — a symbol of beauty, love, temptation, and knowledge in Western tradition.

The word itself comes from Old English æppel, ultimately derived from Proto-Germanic aplaz, which originally meant any kind of fruit rather than specifically the apple. Cognates appear throughout the Germanic family — Apfel (German), appel (Dutch), äpple (Swedish) — making it one of the oldest recorded words in those languages.

As a given name, Apple belongs to the small but enduring tradition of English word names, especially those tied to nature, purity, or symbolic meaning. It has been in use in the Philippines since the 1960s, long before Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin decided to bestow this on their daughter in 2004.

Though it has been used as a given-name until recently, foreign cognates have been used since Medieval times, such as Pomona (a Roman goddess), Poma (Italian), Pomme (French) and Pomeline.

It may have also been occasionally used as a diminutive form of Apollonia or Apolline.

Sweet, simple, and loaded with myth — Apple is a name that turns something ordinary into a symbol of beauty and curiosity. It bridges innocence and rebellion, Eden and the avant-garde.

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Harvest

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  • Origin: English
  • Gender: Unisex
  • First Est. 19th-century

The name Harvest is an English word name, derived from the Old English hærfest, meaning “autumn” or “time of gathering crops.” Originally, hærfest referred to the season of reaping, the period between late summer and early autumn when grain and fruit were collected.

The name first came into use on both males and females in the mid 1800s.

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Moonglow

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  • Origin: English
  • Gender: Female

Moonglow is an English word-name that combines moon with glow — literally evoking the silvery, luminous light cast by the moon. The phrase became popular in the 20th century, used in poetry, music, and art to capture a sense of romance, mystery, and nighttime beauty.

Moonglow was the title of a popular jazz tune (1934) covered by Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, and others.

The phrase is also used in fantasy and sci-fi literature to describe magical illumination or lunar radiance.

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Paisley

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  • Gender: Unisex (most common as a feminine given-name)
  • Pronunciation: PAYZ-lee
  • First Estab: 1700s as a male name, early 1800s as a female name

From the name of the Scottish town Paisley in Renfrewshire, near Glasgow. The town name likely derives from the early Brittonic pasg meaning “basilica” a reference to the medieval Paisley Abbey. Others contend it is from the Anglo-Saxon meaning, “Paessa’s meadow”(Paessa being an Anglo-Saxon male name). Through the centuries, it has been variously recorded as Paselig, Paislay, Passelet, Passeleth, and Passelay. Its Gaelic form is Pàislig.

By extension, the name is associated with the famous paisley textile motif, a teardrop-shaped pattern with Persian (boteh) origins that reached Europe through the East India trade. The town of Paisley was known to have produced this pattern.

Its use as a male given-name started in the 18th-century, often used in reference to the mother’s surname, though it was rare as a first name and often bestowed as a middle name. The earliest record I could find for a female Paisley is from 1800, in Grainger, Tennessee.

It entered the girls’ Top 1000 in 2006 and has stayed in the Top 100 since 2013. As of 2024, it is the 61st most popular female name. It also appears in the U.K.’s Top 500 girls’ names, currently ranking it at #234 (2024).

Its recent popularity is no doubt used in reference to the pattern. It evokes bohemian fashion and combines a Scottish heritage vibe with a trendy, modern sound.

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Petrichor

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  • Origin: English
  • Gender: Female
  • Pron: PET-trih-KOR
  • First Est: 20teens

Petrichor is a modern English word coined in the 1960s from two Greek roots: petra (πέτρα) – “stone, rock,” ichor (ἰχώρ) – in Greek mythology, the ethereal fluid that flows in the veins of the gods. It describes the distinct earthy fragrance released when rain falls on dry ground.

As a given name, Petrichor has started to appear as an avant-garde given-name, chosen for its poetic, sensory quality and unique sound. It is a unique nature name with potential nicknames like Petra, Petri, Cora & Corey.