unisex name
Amani
ah-MAH-nee (English)
- Origin Swahili, Arabic
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 3
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 21,094
the United States
#678
2025 births
Amani is a unisex name with two main sources. In Swahili it means "peace," and in Arabic it's a plural meaning "wishes" or "aspirations." Nameberry gives "faith," which belongs to the related name Imani, so sites differ on its sense.
- Amani is a name of Swahili, Arabic origin.
- Peaked in 2008, when 667 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 6,303 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1969.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Amani Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1960s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 |
| 1970s | 153 |
| 1980s | 239 |
| 1990s | 2,099 |
| 2000s | 5,195 |
| 2010s | 5,274 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,364 |
What Amani Means
Amani is usually read as peace or wishes, depending on the language. Both are positive, hopeful senses, and families in East Africa and the Arab world hold to their own reading.
Where Amani Comes From
Arabic amani is the plural of umniyah, a wish or hope, and it's used as a girl's name in Arab countries. Swahili amani, peace, is itself borrowed from Arabic aman, safety, and it's an everyday word in East Africa. American parents take it up from either source, and it's used for boys and girls. Nameberry's reading of faith likely comes from a mix with Imani. Ancestry and The Bump both give the two meanings of peace and wishes, the most reliable account. Records from France and from England and Wales show it too.
Amani in Use
New York Giants receiver Amani Toomer is among the name's best-known American bearers. The two senses mean that a single name can carry a different history in each family.
How Popular Is Amani?
In 2025, Amani was given to 526 babies in the United States, ranking #678 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Amani Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Amani
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Amani Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Amani over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Amani
- English ah-MAH-nee
Amani in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Imani
Common Questions About Amani
What does the name Amani mean?
Peace in Swahili and wishes in Arabic.
Why do sources disagree about Amani?
Two languages use the same word with different senses.
Is Amani a boy's or a girl's name?
It's used for both.
How popular is the name Amani?
In 2025, Amani was given to 526 babies in the United States, ranking #678 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
How many syllables are in Amani?
Amani has 3 syllables.
When was Amani most popular?
Amani peaked in 2008, when 667 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Amani a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Amani currently ranks #402 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.