Amanda
/ə.ˈmæn.də/
Amanda derives from the Latin amanda, the gerundive form of amare meaning “to love,” yielding “worthy of love” or “one who must be loved.” While it has Latin grammatical roots, it was essentially created as a literary name in the 17th century.
The playwright Colley Cibber used it for a character in Love’s Last Shift (1696), and it came into regular English use during the 19th century. It reached its extraordinary American peak during the 1970s and 1980s.
Amanda peaked at No. 2 in 1980 with 35,811 births — one of the largest single-year totals for any name in SSA history. In 2024 it ranks No. 496 with 617 births.
What the name Amanda means
Famous bearers include actress Amanda Seyfried (1985-), actress Amanda Bynes (1986-), and politician Amanda Gorman (2000-), the inaugural poet. The name defined a generation of American women born in the 1970s-1990s.
Three syllables — ah-MAN-dah — with stress on the second beat. The name has a smooth, confident flow that works equally well in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.
Amanda is a generational name — parents who choose it today are often honouring a family member or deliberately choosing a name associated with a specific era.
The name is identical or near-identical across English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, and Scandinavian contexts. It is one of the most internationally consistent names of the 20th century.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Amanda
Amanda - similar names
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