boy's name
Amir
uh-MEER
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 84,530
the United States
#105
2025 births
Amir is a boy's name of Arabic origin meaning "prince" or "commander," from amara, to command. The English word admiral comes from the same root, by way of the naval title amir al-bahr, commander of the sea.
- Amir is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in 2023, when 3,647 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,002 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1954.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Amir over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1950s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 11 |
| 1960s | 144 |
| 1970s | 655 |
| 1980s | 1,859 |
| 1990s | 3,699 |
| 2000s | 9,036 |
| 2010s | 20,646 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 20,207 |
What Amir means
Amir means commander, prince or leader, from the Arabic root for commanding. A separate Hebrew name spelled the same way means treetop or crown, and both are in genuine use.
Where Amir comes from
Amir comes from the Arabic amir, a commander or prince, from amara, to command — the title behind emir and behind the English admiral, which entered European languages from amir al-bahr, commander of the sea, with the al mistakenly attached. The title was used throughout the Islamic world for governors and military leaders. A distinct Hebrew name, Amir, means treetop or crown of a tree and is common in Israel, which is why reference sources list both meanings. The name is widely used across Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Hebrew and South Asian naming traditions.
Amir in use
English admiral comes from amir al-bahr, commander of the sea — with the Arabic definite article accidentally carried along.
How popular is Amir?
In 2025, Amir was given to 3,308 babies in the United States, ranking #105 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Amir 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.
How Amir is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Amîr | Amîr is a rare spelling of Amir, written with a circumflex and recorded about 20 times, mostly in France. | 20 |
| Amïr | Amïr is a rare spelling of Amir, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Amir
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Amir also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Amir over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Amir 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.
Sibling names for Amir
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Amir — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Amir
What does the name Amir mean?
Amir means "prince" or "commander" in Arabic; a separate Hebrew name means treetop.
Is Amir related to admiral?
Yes. Admiral comes from amir al-bahr, commander of the sea.
Is Amir Arabic or Hebrew?
Both, independently — the two names share a spelling but not an origin.
How popular is the name Amir?
In 2025, Amir was given to 3,308 babies in the United States, ranking #105 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Amir a girl's or a boy's name?
Amir is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Amir?
Amir has 2 syllables.
When was Amir most popular?
Amir peaked in 2023, when 3,647 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Amir a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Amir currently ranks #56 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.