Amara Name Meaning

Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Amara.

If you’re looking for a name that is rising in popularity and comes from a variety of cultural sources, Amara is a name you should consider. The name Amara is found in multiple languages and has different meanings in African, Indian, and European languages.

In Italian, the word amara means "bitter." In the Igbo language, which is spoken in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, the name can mean "gracious" or “grace.” In Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, amā́ra comes from the prefix a- ("no"/"not") and the root mā́ra ("death") to mean "deathless" or "immortal."

  • Origin: The name Amara has Latin, African, and Indian origins.
  • Gender: Amara is more commonly used for girls in the US, but in Igbo culture, it is not uncommon for boys.
  • Pronunciation: ah-MAH-rah

Editor's Note

Although baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex need not play any role in your name selection process. It’s important to select the name that you feel best suits your new baby.

Amara baby name template

How Popular Is the Name Amara?

Though the name Amara has long been used in Asia and Africa, it has only been popular in the United States since the early 2000s. It first appeared among the top 1,000 girl names in the US in 2000, when it was ranked at No. 797. Since then, it has climbed significantly, breaking into the top 500 in 2015. In 2023, Amara ranked as the No. 123 most popular girl’s name in the US.

Similar Names

More girl names starting with "A" include:

  • Aaliyah
  • Addison
  • Alessandra
  • Alma
  • Amber
  • Amelia
  • Aretha
  • Aria
  • Arianna
  • Arissa
  • Aubrey
  • Aurora
  • Ava

More boy names starting with "A" include:

More names with Igbo roots include:

  • Amaka
  • Chika
  • Ebube
  • Eme
  • Ife
  • Kaima
  • Kamsi
  • Kasie
  • Lotanna
  • Rida
  • Sochi
  • Somma
  • Ziora

More names with Sanskrit roots include:

  • Antara
  • Bhavika
  • Chandrika
  • Devika
  • Eni
  • Esha
  • Iditri
  • Kavya
  • Lakshanya
  • Mihira
  • Navya
  • Samiha
  • Tarini

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for Amara? You can't go wrong with:

  • Ada
  • Anika
  • Cleopatra
  • Freya
  • Kenya
  • Ishani
  • Makena
  • Nia
  • Ola
  • Riya
  • Saira
  • Tara
  • Zendaya

Famous People Named Amara

The name Amara has only been commonly used in the United States since the early 2000s. In other cultures, however, it has been used for centuries.

Famous male Amaras

  • Amara-siṃha, ancient Indian grammarian and poet
  • Amara Bangoura, Guinean diplomat and the current Ambassador of Guinea to Russia
  • Amara Karba Bangoura, Guinean footballer
  • Amara Darboh, American football player who has played for the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers
  • Amara Essy, Ivorian diplomat who served as Chairman of the Commission of the African Union
  • Amara Konaté, Ivorian footballer
  • Amara M. Konneh, Liberian economist and development expert who served as Senior Advisor on Partnerships and Regional Integration for the World Bank
  • Amara Traoré, Senegalese former professional footballer

Famous female Amaras

  • Tuwuh Adijatitesih Amaranggana, Indonesian actress, model, and singer known professionally as Amara
  • Amara Asavananda, Thai actress and model known for her role in the 1967 film Kon Nuer Kon
  • Amara Karan, a British actress known for her role in the film The Darjeeling Limited
  • Amara La Negra, Afro-Latina singer and actress known for appearing on the reality TV program Love & Hip Hop
  • Amara Miller, an American actress known for her role in the film The Descendants
  • Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake, Sri Lankan politician who served as governor of the North-Western Province
  • Amara Sohn-Walker, American journalist and news anchor who was a host of CNN International's CNN Today
  • Amara Tabor-Smith, American choreographer and performer known for her work celebrating African American and women’s history

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options:

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Sources
Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Popularity of a NameSocial Security Administration. 2024.

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