Amelia Name Meaning

Updated on September 26, 2021

Fact checked by Cara Lustik

Baby girl dark hair — Joe McBride / Getty Images

What Does Amelia Mean?

Amelia is a vintage name with a modern edge that's grown increasingly popular in recent years.

The name Amelia is of Latin origin. The root of this name is Amal, which means "work." In this case, when translated, "work" refers to industriousness and fertility rather than labor.

Like Amelia, modified versions of this name have been commonly used for centuries. These diminutive forms include Amy, Emma, and Emily.

Amelia became quite popular in 18th century Europe when Kings George II and III named their daughters Amelia.

Origin: The name Amelia of Latin origin. Its Germanic root name, Amal, means "work."
Gender: Amelia is historically the feminine form of the name. Masculine variations like Emil, Emmett, and Emery are common.
Pronunciation: ə-MEE-lee-ə

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

How Popular Is the Name Amelia?

Amelia is one of the trendiest girls' names of the decade. The name Amelia breathes new life into previously popular names like Amy and Emily, borrowing from their sounds while adding a contemporary flair with its modish -ia suffix.

Amelia was most popular in 2020 when it ranked #6 on the Social Security Administration's list of female names. In 2020, there were 12,704 babies born named Amelia.

Name Variations

Amelia is known by many variations across different cultures and languages. Some of these variations of this name include:

Amalia (Czech and Hungarian)
Delia (Greek)
Amalie (French)
Amelie (French and German)
Amélie (French)
Malsci (Hungarian)
Amelita (Italian)
Ama (Polish)
Melcia (Polish)
Milica (Slavic)
Nuela (Spanish)

Similar Names

Amelia is a chic, feminine name. If you appreciate the elegant sound of the name Amelia, you may also enjoy:

Adeline
Clara
Emma
Grace
Hazel
Juliet
Lucy
Madeleine
Nora
Violet

Other girls' names starting with A:

Aaliyah
Abigail/Abby
Acacia
Addison/Addie
Adriana
Alexis
Alice
Anna
Aria
Aspen
Audrey
Aurora
Ava
Avery

Common Nicknames

One of the greatest things about the name Amelia is its versatility. Amelia lends itself to several beautiful nicknames, and parents are sure to find one that suits their little one.

Common nicknames for Amelia include Amy, Ames, Lia, Mel, Mia, and Millie.

Suggested Sibling Names

Anthony
Graham
Henry
Lucas
Oliver
Noah
Sebastian
Chloe
Evelyn
Harper
Julia
Penelope
Sienna

Famous People Named Amelia

Amelia is an established name and, as such, has been a given name of baby girls for centuries. Its more recent surge in popularity has resulted in more fictional characters popping up with the name Amelia.

Famous Amelias:

Amelia Boynton Robinson, American activist
Amelia "Minnie" Driver, English actress
Amelia Earhart, American aviator
Amelia Lily, English singer
Amelia Vega, Dominican model

Fictional Amelias:

Amelia Bedelia, title character in the Peggy Parish books
Amelia Bones, of the "Harry Potter" series
Amelia "Amy" Pond, in "Dr. Who"
Amelia "Mia" Thermopolis, in "The Princess Diaries"
Amelia Voght, in "X-Men"

More Baby Names

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

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. Get ready for baby: Popularity of a name.

By Renee Plant
Renee Plant is a health and wellness freelance writer with a passion for delivering well-researched, factual content to readers.

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