A 1920s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Amparo since 1911
Babies named Amparo per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 132 |
| 1920s | 587 |
| 1930s | 423 |
| 1940s | 351 |
| 1950s | 365 |
| 1960s | 295 |
| 1970s | 347 |
| 1980s | 285 |
| 1990s | 275 |
| 2000s | 149 |
| 2010s | 73 |
| 2020s | 34 |
Meaning & origin
Amparo is a Spanish name meaning 'protection' or 'refuge,' rooted in the Marian title Nuestra Señora del Amparo. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1911, reaching its peak popularity in 1928. After a long decline, Amparo has been rising again since 2019, though it remains quite rare, with a 1-in-200,908 birth rate in 2025. The name carries a strong cultural and religious heritage in Spanish-speaking communities, yet it has never been widely used in the United States, where it has stayed consistently outside the top 1,000 names since the 1950s.
Amparo derives from the Spanish verb 'amparar', meaning 'to protect' or 'to shelter'. It originated as a devotional title for the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Amparo (Our Lady of Refuge), and became used as a given name in Spanish-speaking cultures. The name reflects a religious tradition of invoking Mary's protection, and it has been borne primarily by women since the early 20th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Amparito, Para, Ampy
Sibling names for Amparo
Names that share Amparo's style, for a brother or sister.
