Amira
ah-MEER-ah
Amira derives from the Arabic ʾAmīrah (أميرة), the feminine of ʾAmīr, meaning “princess” or “commander.” The root ʱ-m-r conveys the sense of command, leadership, and authority, and produced the masculine title emir used throughout the Islamic world.
A separate Hebrew source, Amīrāh (אמירה), means “saying” or “treetop,” and is used as an independent given name in Israel.
The Arabic form has been in continuous use since the early Islamic period of the 7th century, particularly within the courts of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates.
What the name Amira means
The title emira was applied to female members of ruling families across the medieval Islamic world, from al-Andalus to the Mughal Empire. The Hebrew form is documented in Israeli civil records from the founding of the modern state in 1948.
The name appears in classical Arabic poetry and in modern Arabic literature, including the works of Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz.
The Disney film Aladdin (1992), although it featured a princess named Jasmine, brought wider Western attention to Arabic feminine naming conventions. The 2013 novel The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vásquez features a character named Amira.
In the United States, Amira entered the SSA top 1000 in 2005 and has risen steadily as American Muslim and Sephardic Jewish populations have grown and as broader American naming culture has embraced names of Semitic origin.
By the early 2020s the name had reached the top 250. It is also widely used in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Notable bearers include British author Amira Lessan, German politician Amira Mohamed Ali, and Egyptian actress Amira Adeeb.
The name has the rare distinction of carrying the same essential meaning, royal feminine, across both major Semitic linguistic traditions.
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 Amira
Amira - similar names
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