Amara Overview
- Meaning: In Italian, the name “Amara” means “bitter.” In the Igbo language ”Amara” means “grace.” In Sanskrit Amara can either mean “deathless” or “immortal.”
- Gender: Amara is primarily a name for girls, especially in the United States and Latin cultures that use it.
- Origin: Though there are many uses of the name across the globe, the only one that has been traced back is the Latin origin and its use in Italian culture.
- Pronunciation: There are two major ways to pronounce Amara. The first is with a gasping “a” sound like “ah-MAR-ah.” The next way to pronounce it is with a “u,” like “uh-MAR-ah.”
- Popularity: The name Amara is very popular across the globe. In the United States of America, Amara has breached the Top 150 names given to girls last year.
- Nicknames: Ama, Amy, Mar, Mara, Mare, Mari, Ra, Ra-Ra.
- Variations: Amará, Amarà, Āmara, Amārus, Amar, Amer.
- Namesakes: Amara Miller, American actress.
What Does the Name Amara Mean?
The name “Amara” is widespread in many cultures and languages all over the world. It also has a variety of meanings to go along with that.
In Italian, the name “Amara” means “bitter.” In the Igbo language—a primarily Eastern Nigerian people and language—”Amara” means “grace.” Then in Sanskrit—which is the original language of ancient India—Amara can either mean “deathless” or “immortal” (1).
What Is the Origin of the Name Amara?
Likely, each version of the names (with their respective meanings) has its origins. The only one that has been traced back is the Latin origin and its use in Italian culture.
How Popular Is the Name Amara?
As we’ve said, the name Amara is very popular across the globe. In the United States of America, Amara has breached the Top 150 names given to girls last year (2).
How Do I Pronounce Amara?
There are two major ways to pronounce Amara. The first is with a gasping “a” sound like “ah-MAR-ah.” The next way to pronounce it is with a shorter “u” sound in the first syllable, like “uh-MAR-ah.”
Is Amara a Boy or Girl Name?
Amara is primarily a name for girls, especially in the United States as well as in Latin cultures that use it. In African culture, it’s as likely that a boy will have the name (or a variation like Amar) as a girl.
Variations of Amara
For a name with such a long history and wide variety of cultural roots, there are only a few known variations on the name Amara.
Some of them include:
- Amará
- Amarà
- Āmara
- Amārus
- Amar
- Amer
Nicknames for Amara
There also aren’t many known nicknames for Amara either. But some of the nicknames that do exist include:
- Ama
- Amy
- Mar
- Mara
- Mare
- Mari
- Ra
- Ra-Ra
Similar Names to Amara
There are, however, a handful of names similar to Amara. The following are some of those similar names:
- Aliyah
- Alma
- Amaya
- Aria
- Ava
- Ellie
- Isla
- Leah
- Liz
- Maggie
- Maya
- Mira
- Nicky
- Tara
Middle Names for Amara
Amara is a strong name, and the middle name can pair with some great secondary names. Some options include:
- Blair
- Claire
- Cora
- Dawn
- Dior
- Faith
- May
- Pearl
- Quinn
- Ray
- Romina
- Sophia
Sibling Names for Amara
Many names go great alongside Amara for a sibling, whether boy or girl. Some of them include:
For a Brother:
- Charlie
- Chris
- Danny
- George
- James
- Julian
- Michael
- Nate
- Paul
- Samuel
- Thomas
- Will
For a Sister:
- Aubrey
- Corinne
- Frida
- Hannah
- Hazel
- Isobel
- Isobella
- Kate
- Katie
- Lillian
- Lily
- Miley
- Naia
- Phoebe
- Raya
- Una
- Uma
Famous People Named Amara
There are also many famous people named Amara. Some of the most prominent include:
- Abdelmalek Amara: An Algerian footballer.
- Amara: An Indonesian singer.
- Amara Asavananda: A Thai film actress.
- Amara Darboh: An American football player.
- Amara Karan: A Sri-Lankan/British actress.
- Amara La Negra: A cast member from the television reality series Love & Hip Hop.
- Amara Miller: An American actress.
- Amara Sinha: A Sanskrit grammarian.
- Fadela Amara: A politician from France.
- Roy Amara: An American writer and futurist of business.
- Amara Walker: An American journalist.
Amara in Popular Culture
Many characters in pop culture have taken the name Amara over the years. From books to movies and video games, here are some of the most notable characters you might recognize:
- Amara (Codex Alera): The main character from the series Codex Alera series written by Jim Butcher.
- Amara Juliana Olivians Aquilla (Magma): A comic book character from the Marvel Comic and film universe.
- Amara Tenoh: A supporting character from the English version of the Anime series Sailor Moon.
- Amara: A 2014 Tamil film.
- Amara: A character from the doll line Groovy Girls created by Manhattan Toy.
- Amara: “The Darkness” character from the American television series Supernatural.
- Amara: A character from the American television series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.
- Amara: A character from the TV series The Vampire Diaries.
- Amara: A character in Borderlands 3 vidoegame.
Amara in Other Recognizable Contexts
Amara also has other uses depending on the context. Let’s take a look at some.
- Amara (beetle): A type of beetle from the carabid family.
- Amara(subtitling): A digital method of capturing and translating verbal language to subtitles online.
- Amara (language): A language from West New Britain Province, Papua, New Guinea.
- Amhara (people): The Amhara people are a group within Ethiopia.
Amara FAQs
The following are some frequently asked questions and interesting tidbits concerning the name Amara.
Does Amara Mean Beloved?
Amara means “beloved” in Latin baby names, stemming from the Latin verb “amare,” meaning “to love.”
What Are Some Other Meanings of the Name Amara?
On top of the meanings mentioned above, Amara has several others. In Greek, Amara can mean “vital,” in German, “eternal,” and in Spanish, it can mean “unperishable” or “unfading.”
What Is the Lucky Number of Amara?
The number accompanying Amara is 7. This number reflects highly analytical and inquisitive minds that are often critical and seek perfection.
