Amir Name Meaning (Origin, Popularity & Nicknames)

What Does Amir Mean?

Amir means “prince” or “royal,” based on the Arabic “a-m-r” root. It meant “army commander” but was later associated with royalty. In the Urdu language of Pakistan, Amir also means “prince.” In Persian, Amir means “immortal,” with “a” meaning “the,” and “mir” meaning “death.” The more extended meaning of Amir is “the one whose spirit and memory never dies.”

In Southeastern Iran, the Pashto language still uses Amir as a royal or military title, meaning “leader” or “boss.” Yet another meaning for Amir originated in Hebrew, referring to the “crown of a treetop.” It also describes a “small sheaf or bundle of grain,” like wheat or barley.

What Is the Origin of the Name Amir?

Amir was first a title for a “commander (of the army),” but came to be used for a “prince” or a ruler’s son. It shares a root meaning with the Arabic word “emir,” which is also used as a title for a “king.” It was very common in the late 16th-century and used in Persian and Urdu to denote Arab military rulers or local chiefs.

Amir and emir were used in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia and are still quite popular on the Indian subcontinent. Emir is still an honorary title in much of the Muslim world but has slowly been replaced by “king.” Alternatively, Amir has become a favorite given name for boys since it means “prince.” Amir may have influenced the English military title of “Admiral.”

How Popular Is the Name Amir?

Amir is quite popular and has ranged from ranking 83rd to 123rd for U.S. boys in the last few years. It’s also ranked 331st for babies overall in recent years. Amir has grown in popularity in the U.S. for boys since the 1970s.

Amir was the 22nd most common given name in Iran in 2024 and remains a favorite boy’s name for Muslims in Turkey and Bosnia. As a boy’s name, Amir is also popular on the Indian subcontinent.

In 2022 and 2023, it ranked 5th among African-American baby boys in the U.S. state of Virginia. Amir also ranks in the top 100 boys’ names in France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Belgium.

How Do I Pronounce Amir?

Amir is pronounced “Ah-MEER” in English. It can also be pronounced “AA-Mihr” in Arabic and Persian.

Is Amir a Boy or Girl Name?

In Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Pashto, and Urdu, Amir is traditionally a boy’s name. The female Arabic equivalent to Amir is Amira.

Variations of Amir

There are plenty of unique spelling variations for Amir for you to discover.

• Aamer (Arabic)
• Aamir (English)
• Amear (Arabic)
• Ameer (Arabic)
• Ameir (Arabic)
• Amer (Arabic)
• Amier (Arabic)
• Amiran (Arabic)
• Amire (Arabic)
• Amiri (Arabic)
• Amyr (Turkish)
• Emir (Turkish)
• Emyr (Welsh)

Nicknames for Amir

These ultra-short nicknames for Amir are as cute as they come.

• Aam
• Aami
• Aim
• Aims
• Am
• Ami
• Amirs
• Ammu
• Ammy
• Meer
• Mimi
• Mir
• Mire
• Miru

Similar Names to Amir

Find names similar to Amir when you want your little prince to stand out.

• Adonis
• Ameen
• Amin
• Amon
• Anwar
• Atlas
• August
• Axel
• Ezra
• Jamar
• Levi
• Mateo
• Micah
• Mick
• Omar
• Ramiro
• Sage
• Samir
• Shamir
• Xavier
• Zion

Middle Names for Amir

These memorable middle names go beautifully with the masculine Amir.

• Anthony
• Benjamin
• Cristian
• Duke
• Gabriel
• Hassan
• Hugo
• Isaac
• Ismael
• Joaquin
• Joshua
• Kaleel
• Kingston
• Maddox
• Maverick
• Riley
• Ronan
• Sterling
• Thaddeus
• Zane

Sibling Names for Amir

Pair your Amir with sibling names like these, and they’ll love it.

• Aaliyah
• Aida
• Aisha
• Ali
• Anton
• Arvid
• Ava
• Emre
• Jesper
• Karim
• Layla
• Linus
• Luna
• Malik
• Nour
• Rami
• Safiya
• Yasmin
• Zain
• Zuhayr

Famous People Named Amir

Some of the most famous people named Amir can be found here.

• Amir Bageria: Canadian actor.
• Amir Bagheri: Iranian chess grandmaster.
• Amir Bell: American basketball player.
• Amir Blumenfeld: American-Israeli comedian/actor.
• Amir Derakh: American musician.
• Amir Farshad Ebrahimi: Iranian journalist.
• Amir Ganiel: Israeli swimming champion.
• Amir Haddad: Israeli French singer and songwriter.
• Amir Hamed: Uruguayan writer.
• Amir Johnson: American basketball player.
• Amir Karić: Bosnian-Slovenian footballer
• Amir Khan: English boxer.
• Amir Khosrow Afshar: Iranian diplomat.
• Amir Mokri: Iranian cinematographer.
• Amir Sadollah: American mixed martial arts fighter.
• Amir Shurush: Arab-Israeli comedian.
• Amir Slama: English fashion designer.
• Amir Tibon: Israeli journalist.
• Amir Vahedi: Iranian-American poker player.
• Amir Wilson: English actor.

Amir in Popular Culture

Amir has also appeared in pop culture in multiple ways.

• Amir: Protagonist in “The Kite Runner” novel.
• Amir Kaffarov: Antagonist in the 2011 video game Battlefield 3.
• Amir Kazim: Character in the 2016 film “A Wedding” (Noces).

Amir FAQs

Some of the most fascinating questions about the first name Amir are answered below.

Is Amir Hebrew or Arabic?

Amir is mainly considered an Arabic name deriving from the root “a-m-r.” It means “army commander” but is best known as a title for a “prince” or “ruler.” In Hebrew, Amir refers to “the top of the tree.” The treetop is also called the “crown” of the tree, which links back to Amir’s royal Arabic meaning.

What Does the Name Al Amir Mean?

Since Amir means “prince” in Arabic, the title or name Al Amir is the official term for “the prince.” As with Emir, adding the definite article “the” to Amir transforms any prince into “the prince” with just one addition. When referred to as “the Amirs,” Amir indicates an Indian commander of 1,000 horsemen.

What Does Amir Mean in Africa?

In addition to the Arab world, Amir is defined as “an independent ruler or chieftain” in much of Africa. It also appears as Ameer, Emeer, and Emir, meaning “prince” or “ruler.” It’s well known in Somalia and eastern Africa, where it means “born during happy times.” In North Africa, Amir can be described as a “wealthy person.”