Baby Names Amara Name Meaning By Wendy Wisner Wendy Wisner LinkedIn Twitter Wendy Wisner is a lactation consultant and writer covering maternal/child health, parenting, general health and wellness, and mental health. She has worked with breastfeeding parents for over a decade, and is a mom to two boys. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 13, 2021 Fact checked by Emily Swaim Fact checked by Emily Swaim LinkedIn Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell. Learn about our editorial process Print LWA/Dann Tardif/Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents How Popular Is the Name Amara? Similar Names Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named 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 cultures. In Italian, the word "amara" means “bitter.” In the Igbo language, which is spoken in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, the name means “grace.” And in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, Amara means “deathless” or “immortal.” Origin: The Italian word is derived from the Latin “amara” (“bitter”). The Igbo “amara” can be an adjective meaning “gracious” or a noun meaning “grace.” And The Sanskrit “amā́ra” comes from the prefix a- (“no/not”) and the root mā́ra (“death”).Gender: Amara can be used for both boys and girls. It is more commonly used for girls in the U.S., but in Igbo culture, it is not uncommon for boys.Pronunciation: ah-MAH-rah Although baby names are often separated by gender, Verywell Family 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. 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 for about 20 years. It first appeared among the top 1,000 girl names in the U.S. in 2000, when it was ranked at No. 797. Since then, it has climbed significantly, breaking into the top 500 in 2015. The 2020 statistics ranked Amara at No. 142 for girls in America, suggesting it is still on the rise. In the U.S., the name Amara is typically used as a girl name. Nevertheless, it can be used any way you see fit, as sex does not have to be a part of your name selection process. Similar Names More girl names starting with A: AaliyahAddisonAlessandraAlmaAmberAmeliaArethaAriaAriannaArissaAubreyAuroraAva More boy names starting with A: AaronAbrahamAdamAdrianAidenAlexanderAndrewAnthonyArcherArloArthurAsherAustin More names with Igbo roots: AmakaChikaEbubeEmeIfeKaimaKamsiKasieLotannaRidaSochiSommaZiora More names with Sanskrit roots: AntaraBhavikaChandrikaDevikaEniEshaIditriKavyaLakshanyaMihiraNavyaSamihaTarini Suggested Sibling Names AdaAnikaCleopatraFreyaKenyaIshaniMakenaNiaOlaRiyaSairaTaraZendaya Famous People Named Amara The name Amara has only been commonly used in the United States in the past 20 years. In other cultures, however, it has been used for centuries. Men: Amara-siṃha, ancient Indian grammarian and poetAmara Bangoura, Guinean diplomat and the current Ambassador of Guinea to RussiaAmara Karba Bangoura, Guinean footballer (soccer)Amara Darboh, an American football player who has played for the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina PanthersAmara Essy, Ivorian diplomat who served as Chairman of the Commission of the African UnionAmara Konaté, Ivorian footballerAmara M. Konneh, Liberian economist and development expert who serves as Senior Advisor on Partnerships and Regional Integration for the World BankAmara Traoré, Senegalese former professional footballer Women: Tuwuh Adijatitesih Amaranggana, known professionally as Amara, Indonesian actress, model, and singerAmara 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 ProvinceAmara 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: Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names 50 Indian Baby Names and Meanings 50 Popular African Baby Names 1 Source Verywell Family 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. Social Security Administration. Popular baby names. By Wendy Wisner Wendy Wisner is a lactation consultant and writer covering maternal/child health, parenting, general health and wellness, and mental health. She has worked with breastfeeding parents for over a decade, and is a mom to two boys. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit