What does Aspen mean?
An English nature name from the trembling aspen tree.
What does Fern mean?
Fern is an English nature name from the green woodland plant.
Aspen vs Fern
Which is more popular?
Aspen is more popular than Fern today: about 1,179 US babies were given the name Aspen in 2025, compared with 186 named Fern.
| Aspen | Fern | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The aspen tree | The fern plant |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | AS-pen | FURN |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1973 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2022 (1,518) | 1918 (1,341) |
| In 2025 | 1,179 | 186 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Aspen
Fern
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Aspen | Fern |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 8,108 | 953 |
| 2010s | 8,393 | 717 |
| 2000s | 4,888 | 167 |
| 1990s | 2,735 | 97 |
| 1980s | 467 | 174 |
| 1970s | 135 | 299 |
| 1960s | 0 | 985 |
| 1950s | 0 | 2,213 |
| 1940s | 0 | 2,803 |
| 1930s | 0 | 4,570 |
| 1920s | 0 | 10,254 |
| 1910s | 0 | 9,250 |
| 1900s | 0 | 2,813 |
| 1890s | 0 | 1,937 |
| 1880s | 0 | 434 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Aspen or Fern more popular?
Aspen is more popular than Fern today: about 1,179 US babies were given the name Aspen in 2025, compared with 186 named Fern.
What is the difference between Aspen and Fern?
Aspen means The aspen tree (English origin), while Fern means The fern plant (English origin).
Which name is older, Aspen or Fern?
In US records, Aspen first appears in 1973 and Fern in 1880, so Fern has the longer recorded history.