Ambrose Overview
- Meaning: Ambrose means immortal.
- Gender: Ambrose is traditionally a male name.
- Origin: Ambrose has Greek origins. It comes from the word ambrosia.
- Pronunciation: “AM-brohs”
- Popularity: Ambrose is fairly popular, and as of today it is the top 1,000 baby boy names in the United States.
- Nicknames: Am, Amber, Ambie, Amby, Ami, Amy, Bri, Bro, Brody, Brose, Brosie, Ro, Rose, Rosie, and Ross.
- Variations: Ambrogia, Ambrogina, Ambrogino, Ambroise, Ambrosia, Ambrosie, Ambrosio, Ambrosine, Ambrosios, Ambrosius, and Emrys.
- Namesake: Saint Ambrose, Ambrose Akinmusire, Ambrose Burnside.
- What Does Ambrose Mean?
- What is the Origin of the Name Ambrose?
- How Popular is the Name Ambrose?
- How Do I Pronounce Ambrose?
- Is Ambrose a Boy or Girl Name?
- Variations of Ambrose
- Nicknames for Ambrose
- Similar Names to Ambrose
- Middle Names for Ambrose
- Sibling Names for Ambrose
- Famous People Named Ambrose
- Ambrose in Popular Culture
- Ambrose FAQs
What Does Ambrose Mean?
Ambrose is a classic name with a long history. Ambrose means immortal and it comes from Greek and Latin word roots.
Ambrosios is Greek for immortal or something belonging to immortals. It is related to the word ambrosia, the term for the food of the gods in Greek mythology (1).
Although the name’s literal meaning is immortal, there is a strong association in Christian culture with the Bishop of Milan, Saint Ambrose. Ambrose of Milan was bishop from the year 374 to 397. He is known for shaping early Christian theology and composing hymns (2).
Due to the cultural significance of Saint Ambrose, many people think of the name Ambrose as meaning an intelligent and creative spiritual leader.
What is the Origin of the Name Ambrose?
Ambrose is an anglicized name with Greek and Latin origins. You can trace it back to the Greek Ambrosios, which references ambrosia, the food of the gods.
Ambrosios consists of two Greek words. The first portion, “a,” usually works as a negation in Greek, meaning not or no. The latter part of the word comes from “mbrotos,” which means mortal. Thus, the whole word means not mortal or immortal (3).
The Latinized version of the name is Ambrosius. This is the original name of Ambrosius of Milan. Ambrosius of Milan had a lasting impact on Christianity and was even venerated as a saint pre-congregation, meaning that he was worshiped before the process of granting sainthood was ever established.
The importance of Ambrosius of Milan caused the name to spread throughout Christian culture, particularly in the Middle Ages. Anglo cultures adapted Ambrosius into Ambrose, and it became one of the more well-known versions of the name.
How Popular is the Name Ambrose?
Ambrose has been a fairly popular name in the United States for the last hundred years. At the start of the early twentieth century, Ambrose was in the top 300 most popular names for baby boys (4).
However, the name has dramatically decreased in popularity since 1900 and was barely used between 1950 and 2018. The past few years have seen a small comeback for Ambrose. As of today, the name is in the top 700 most popular baby names for boys.
How Do I Pronounce Ambrose?
Ambrose is pronounced “AM-brohs.”
Is Ambrose a Boy or Girl Name?
Ambrose is traditionally a boy’s name. It comes from the name Ambrosius, which is a masculine Latin name, and the most well-known Ambrose (Ambrose of Milan) was a man. A feminized version of the name is Ambrosine.
Modern naming conventions are quite flexible when it comes to gender and Ambrose works well as a gender-neutral or feminine name.
Variations of Ambrose
Some variations of Ambrose include:
- Ambrogia (Italian)
- Ambrogina (Italian)
- Ambrogino (Italian)
- Ambroise (French)
- Ambrosia (Italian)
- Ambrosie (Romanian)
- Ambrosio (Spanish)
- Ambrosine (English)
- Ambrosios (Greek)
- Ambrosius (Latin)
- Emrys (Welsh)
Nicknames for Ambrose
There are several cute nicknames for Ambrose. Some examples include:
Similar Names to Ambrose
If you like the sound of Ambrose, there are many names with a similar aesthetic. Some names similar to Ambrose include:
- Abbott
- Albany
- Albert
- Aldous
- Aldridge
- Amadeus
- Andrew
- Ansley
- Anthony
- Antony
- Archer
- Armstrong
- Arthur
- Astro
- August
Middle Names for Ambrose
A simple, one-syllable name works perfectly as a trendy middle name for Ambrose. Some middle name ideas for Ambrose are:
Sibling Names for Ambrose
Various names will pair nicely with Ambrose as sibling names. To match the energy of Ambrose, think of other classic names associated with early Christianity.
Names for a Brother
Names for a Sister
Famous People Named Ambrose
The most famous person named Ambrose is Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan. Other famous people include:
- Ambrose Akinmusire: Jazz trumpeter.
- Ambrose Burnside: American military general who was the namesake of sideburns.
- Ambrose Tarrant: Australian cricket player.
- Ambrose Traversari: Italian monk and theologian.
Ambrose in Popular Culture
Ambrose is used several times in fiction. Examples of Ambrose in popular culture include:
- Ambrose: Kitten in Disney’s Silly Symphony.
- Ambrose Chappell: character in The Man Who Knew Too Much.
- Ambrose Jakis: Antagonist in the Kingkiller Chronicles.
- Ambrose Monk: Brother of the titular character in Monk.
- Ambrose Spellman: character in the television show The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and the Sabrina the Teenage Witch comic book series.
- Ambrose Spike: character in the children’s book Redwall.
Ambrose FAQs
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the name Ambrose.
Is Ambrose in the Bible?
Ambrose is not a name in the Bible. Ambrose is a popular Christian name because of the revered early Christian saint named Ambrosius.
Does Ambrose Mean Rose?
Ambrose does not mean rose. Ambrose means immortal. The part of the name that sounds like rose comes from the Greek word mbrotos, which means mortal.
What Nationality Is Ambrose?
Ambrose is an English name. It is the anglicized version of the Latin name Ambrosius. In turn, Ambrosius is the Latinized version of the Greek name Ambrosios.
