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At a Glance
- Meaning
- The heather plant (a flowering heath shrub)
- Origin
- English (from Middle English hather)
- Gender
- Used for both boys and girls
- Pronunciation
- HETH-er
Heather is an English name, drawn from the Middle English word hather — the flowering heath shrub also called heather. It's a nature name in the most literal sense: no borrowed meaning, no symbolism layered on, just the plant itself. If you like the idea of naming your daughter after something you could actually walk through on a hillside, this is that name.
Meaning & Origin of Heather
Meaning: The heather plant (a flowering heath shrub).
Origin: English (from Middle English hather).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Heather
HETH-erIPA /ˈhɛðər/
Popularity of Heather
Heather peaked at #3 in the U.S. in 1975, when 24,302 baby girls got the name. By 2024 it had dropped to #1352, with only 168 Heathers born that year.
Names Like Heather
These names have followed a similar path to Heather in U.S. popularity over the years.
FAQ
What does the name Heather mean?
The heather plant (a flowering heath shrub). (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Heather?
Heather is pronounced HETH-er (IPA: /ˈhɛðər/).
Is Heather a popular name right now?
Heather peaked at #3 in 1975 and is ranked #1352 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1914–2024.)
Make Heather Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Heather, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Heather? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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