Amir Name Meaning, Origins & History

Amir

Pronunciation: uh-MEER

Meaning Prince Origin Arabic Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#105
TREND
10
GIRLS RANK
#8,899
TREND
4,651

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Amir in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Amir

  • More than 56 thousand babies named Amir: U.S. records list 56,220 babies given the name Amir from 1880 through 2025. Even 507 girls received the name Amir - about 1 girl for every 110 boys.

What Does the Name Amir Mean?

Amir has two separate origins. The Arabic name Amir comes from amīr (أمير), meaning "prince," "commander," or "leader." It derives from the root ʾ-m-r, "to command," and is the same word that gives English emir. The Hebrew name Amir (עָמִיר) is unrelated; it is usually explained as "sheaf of grain" or "treetop," an agricultural or nature word used as a personal name. The Hebrew sense is sometimes given as "treetop" and sometimes as "sheaf," and the precise nuance is not certain.

Amir Name History & Origins

The Arabic amīr began as a title rather than a personal name. In early Islamic history it was used for military commanders, governors, and other leaders. The caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (r. 634 - 644) took the title Amīr al-Muʾminīn, "Commander of the Faithful," and later rulers used similar titles. From Arabic the word passed into Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and other languages, often as amir or emir. As a given name, Amir is used in Arabic-speaking countries and in other Muslim communities. The Hebrew name Amir is separate and is used in modern Hebrew as a male given name, especially in Israel. In contemporary literature, Amir is the name of the narrator in Khaled Hosseini's novel The Kite Runner (2003).

How Popular is the Name Amir?

Amir recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2023. Amir entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 2023.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore More Lists with Name Amir

Most Popular Boy Names That Start with A

See List of Most Popular Boy Names Starting with A

Unique Short Boy Names That Start with A

Discover Popular Boy Names Starting with A

How the Name Amir Shapes Your Personality and Life?

Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.

✦ Amir's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Amir's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
Explore Insights & Tips

Name Search