| Phoenix | Aster | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Firebird reborn from flame | Star |
| Origin | greek | greek |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | FEE-niks | AS-ter |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1968 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2020 (1,534) | 2022 (73) |
| In 2025 | 1,027 | 0 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Phoenix | Aster |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7,843 | 359 |
| 2010s | 10,623 | 267 |
| 2000s | 5,086 | 41 |
| 1990s | 972 | 15 |
| 1980s | 32 | 11 |
| 1970s | 10 | 0 |
| 1960s | 5 | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 | 6 |
| 1930s | 0 | 18 |
| 1920s | 0 | 29 |
| 1910s | 0 | 6 |
From Greek 'phoinix', the mythical bird that is consumed by fire and reborn from its own ashes. The fire link is through the rebirth-by-fire myth rather than a literal word for fire.
From Greek 'aster' ('star'). It is also the name of the star-shaped daisy-family flower, which was itself named for the Greek word, giving the name a botanical as well as celestial sense.
Phoenix is more popular than Aster today: about 1,027 US babies were given the name Phoenix in 2025, compared with 0 named Aster.
Phoenix means Firebird reborn from flame (greek origin), while Aster means Star (greek origin).
In US records, Phoenix first appears in 1968 and Aster in 0, so Aster has the longer recorded history.