Amelia
Amelia is a girls' name of German origin meaning “industrious, striving.” It ranked #4 in the United States in 2025. Amelia has roots in the Germanic name Amalia, meaning 'work' or 'striving.'
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how do you pronounce Amelia?
ah-MEEL-yah
where does the name Amelia come from?
From the Germanic amal, meaning work or labour, and by extension industrious. Amelia is regularly confused with Emilia, which comes from the unrelated Roman family name Aemilius, and centuries of cross-contamination mean the two are now used almost interchangeably despite separate roots.
It gained enduring fame through Amelia Earhart, the pioneering aviator, and has been a top-10 name in the US and UK for over a decade.
how popular is this name?
Amelia has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 146 years since 1880. It peaked at #3 in 2024, and ranked #4 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #4 |
| 2024 | #3 |
| 2023 | #4 |
| 2022 | #4 |
| 2021 | #4 |
| 2020 | #6 |
| 2019 | #7 |
| 2018 | #8 |
| 2017 | #8 |
| 2016 | #10 |
| 2010 | #41 |
| 2000 | #207 |
| 1990 | #194 |
| 1980 | #316 |
| 1970 | #445 |
| 1960 | #414 |
| 1950 | #357 |
| 1940 | #279 |
| 1930 | #236 |
| 1920 | #190 |
| 1910 | #163 |
| 1900 | #146 |
| 1890 | #109 |
| 1880 | #96 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Amelia fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Amelia
The name arrived in Britain with the Hanoverians — a daughter of George II was Princess Amelia — and Henry Fielding gave it a novel of its own in 1751. Amelia Earhart made it permanently associated with nerve and distance after her 1932 solo Atlantic flight and her disappearance over the Pacific five years later.
who are famous people named Amelia?
- Amelia Earhart (pioneering aviator)
- Amelia Bloomer (women's rights activist)
- Amelia Warner (English musician and composer)
what are the nicknames and variants of Amelia?
Nicknames
what names are similar to Amelia?
what names go well with Amelia?
Sibling names that share Amelia's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Amelia
What does the name Amelia mean?
Amelia means “industrious, striving”.
What is the origin of the name Amelia?
Amelia comes from the German naming tradition. Related forms include Amalia, Emilia and Amélie.
How popular is the name Amelia?
Amelia ranked #4 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 2024, at #3, and it has spent 146 years in the top 1,000 since 1880.
Is Amelia a boy or girl name?
Amelia is primarily a girls' name.
How do you pronounce Amelia?
Amelia is pronounced ah-MEEL-yah, with 3 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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