Amelia
- Pronunciation
- [A-me-li-a]
- Gender
- Female
- Meaning
- From Amalia; Germanic amal, with several interpretations
- Origin
- Germanic
Meaning and history of Amelia
Amelia is a form of Amalia, a name connected with the Germanic element amal. References interpret that older element in several ways, so a single English word should not be presented as an uncontested literal translation. Behind the Name lists senses connected with persistence or vigor and also discusses the Amali name. The earlier “Defender ANSELMA” label belonged to a different name and has been removed.
Amelia and Emilia have similar modern spellings but different name histories. If you are choosing between them, compare the exact form and the way your family pronounces its opening. Shared sound does not make the names etymologically interchangeable.
Etymology references: Behind the Name, Amelia, Amalia. Reviewed October 27, 2026. Popularity evidence is shown separately below.
By Marvin Tang. Popularity figures use an imported selection of SSA records; SSA does not supply name meanings or etymologies. Editorial references, where available, are listed with the name explanation. Sources and coverage.
Quick Facts About Amelia
US Popularity History (1880–2025)
Annual imported US counts for Amelia by recorded sex, from US Social Security Administration records. Highest count in the imported records: 2021 with 13,032 girls named Amelia (girl rank #4 that year).
Latest imported observation: in 2025, ranked #4 for girls (12,699 imported records).
Source: US Social Security Administration. Coverage: imported US Social Security card-application records, not a complete birth census. Historical coverage is narrower, including top-100 selection before 2000; recent imports also use catalog and rank filters. Missing rows can reflect those filters or source privacy limits and must not be read as zero or fewer than five uses. Spellings and recorded sex are kept separate.
Paste the snippet below on any HTML page. Includes a credit link back to 9BabyNames — please keep it intact.
Look up Amelia across states
Compare this exact spelling in one year and recorded sex list. Missing state records remain unknown.
Observed State Ranks for Amelia
Average girl-name rank across the same 2016–2025 window, limited to 51 jurisdictions with every year imported. A lower number means the name appears closer to the top of that state's girls-name rankings. This is an ordinal comparison, not a per-capita rate. States with missing years are excluded. For Amelia the lowest observed averages are in Alaska, Louisiana, Indiana.
Lowest observed average rank
| # | State | Avg rank | Imported count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | #3 | 372 |
| 2 | Louisiana | #3 | 2,077 |
| 3 | Indiana | #3 | 3,236 |
| 4 | West Virginia | #3 | 837 |
| 5 | Kentucky | #3 | 2,049 |
| 6 | Michigan | #3 | 4,048 |
| 7 | Missouri | #3 | 2,864 |
| 8 | North Dakota | #4 | 423 |
| 9 | Tennessee | #4 | 3,218 |
| 10 | Oregon | #4 | 1,481 |
Highest observed average rank
| # | State | Avg rank | Imported count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | #19 | 250 |
| 2 | California | #11 | 12,540 |
| 3 | Texas | #10 | 11,260 |
| 4 | Delaware | #9 | 318 |
| 5 | Maryland | #9 | 1,711 |
| 6 | Nevada | #8 | 992 |
| 7 | New Mexico | #8 | 574 |
| 8 | New Jersey | #8 | 3,272 |
| 9 | Arizona | #8 | 2,558 |
| 10 | New York | #8 | 6,989 |
Source: SSA state-level baby-name dataset 2016–2025. Only states with all 10 annual observations for this spelling and recorded sex are compared. Missing states are excluded, not assigned zero. Average rank measures position in state rankings, not a per-capita rate. Local import filters and SSA privacy limits can both create gaps. Coverage and limitations.
Related Forms in This Catalog
Open each form for its own meaning, language history, and exact-spelling usage records.
Famous People Named Amelia
1 notable figure from history and culture who share the name Amelia.
- Amelia Earhart — Pilot (1897)
Looking for names like Amelia?
A dedicated page with 60+ related names — spelling variants, rhymes, alliterations, same-origin matches, and shared meaning concepts — lives at its own URL so each kind of similarity gets a deeper treatment than fits here.
Compare Amelia to Other Popular Names
Side-by-side popularity charts and crossover years for Amelia against names with the largest imported counts for girls-name peers (top 8 with every year imported, 2016–2025). Names with missing annual observations are excluded from this comparison.
Amelia Baby Name Ideas
- Amelia or Emilia? How to Hear the Different Openings, Initials, and Full-Name Rhythm
- Should First and Middle Names Start With the Same Letter? Testing Alliteration Beyond the Monogram
- Best Middle Names for Lucy: Balance the Long-E Ending, Initials, and Surname
- Baby Names for Last Names With an Apostrophe: Keep the Full Name Clear on Forms and Aloud
- What Is Millie Short For? Ten Full-Name Routes and a Clear Nickname Map
- Baby Names for Consonant-Heavy Last Names: Creating Space Without Losing Character
- How to Revisit a Baby Name You Rejected Early: A Fresh Test Without Restarting the Whole Search
- Should Sibling Names Have Similar Nickname Range? Balancing Full Forms and Everyday Call Names
- Baby Names for Last Names With First-Syllable Stress: Building Rhythm After a Strong Opening Beat
- Should Sibling Names Share an Ending Sound? Building a Set Without Making a Chorus
- Should You Avoid a Baby Name Because Everyone Around You Is Using It? A Local Popularity Test
- When Both Parents Want to Honor Different People: Fair Ways to Share One Baby Name
- Baby Names for Last Names With Final-Syllable Stress: Balancing the Full-Name Rhythm
- The Best Middle Names for Hannah: Pairings That Keep a Soft Ending Distinct
- When Sibling Names Look Too Similar in Writing: Preventing Everyday Mix-Ups
- The Best Middle Names for Rebecca: Pairings That Give a Three-Syllable Classic a Clean Landing
- When You Plan to Call a Child by Initials: Building a Legal Name That Still Works in Full
- When a First Name Ends With the Sound a Last Name Starts With: Fixing a Blurred Name Boundary
- The Best Middle Names for Lily: Pairings That Ground a Short Floral Name Without an -ee Echo
- The Best Middle Names for Chloe: Pairings That Balance a Bright Two-Syllable Name