Holding steady, #7,491 for girls today.
Popularity of Ama since 1885
Babies named Ama per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2019, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Ama's real moment was 1885.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 7 |
| 1890s | 27 |
| 1900s | 23 |
| 1910s | 86 |
| 1920s | 103 |
| 1930s | 54 |
| 1940s | 15 |
| 1950s | 5 |
| 1960s | 6 |
| 1970s | 96 |
| 1980s | 88 |
| 1990s | 128 |
| 2000s | 145 |
| 2010s | 165 |
| 2020s | 102 |
Meaning & origin
Ama is a short, cross-cultural name with roots in both Hebrew and Akan traditions. In the United States, it has been recorded as early as 1885, but it remains rare: in 2025, it ranked 7,491 with only 1 in 114,805 girls receiving the name. Its peak year of usage was 1885, after which it saw sporadic use without significant revival. The name's dual heritage offers a meaningful choice for families connected to Jewish or Ghanaian heritage, or those simply drawn to its simplicity and gentle sound.
Ama has multiple possible origins. In Hebrew, it may be a variant of Imma, meaning 'mother', and is used in Jewish communities. In West Africa, specifically among the Akan people of Ghana, Ama is a female name given to girls born on a Saturday (the day-name tradition). The name has also seen occasional use in English-speaking countries, often as a short form of longer names like Amalia or Amanda.
“Ama” around the world
Where Ama lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Amma
Sibling names for Ama
Names that share Ama's style, for a brother or sister.
