Given name & surname
Amari
“having great strength; a builder”
Amari is used as a given name and a surname. One African interpretation is “having great strength; a builder.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One African interpretation is “having great strength; a builder.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is African.
How it developed
In English usage, Amari developed from AMARO.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1974. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Amari through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 53,282
- 31,994 boys · 21,288 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 3,427 babies
- 2025
- 2,804
- #185 for boys · #380 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +34%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 66% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,000 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 185 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 45.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 804 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (180). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 28,688 as a first name in 2020; 750 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Amari’s family of names
In Italian usage, Amari as a surname has a short form in Mari. In English usage, Amari shares an earlier linguistic root with Omar. Amari has a related form in Amara.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Amari has relatives in 3 languages.
7 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Amaravariant
- Amarvariant · English
- Marishort form · Italian
- Amarievariant
- Amareevariant
- Amaryvariant
- Amarovariant · English, Italian
- Amareyvariant
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Omardoublet · English
- Amarisequivalent
- Umardoublet · English
- Amariaequivalent
- Amaruequivalent
- Amarilisequivalent
- Umaridoublet · English
- Amarildaequivalent
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People named Amari
- Amari CooperAmerican football player (born 1994)
- Amari BaileyAmerican basketball player (born 2004)
- Amari WilliamsBritish basketball player (born 2002)
- Amari SpieveyAmerican football playerborn 1988
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Amari, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Amadi
“one who rejoices”
63% boys · 37% girls
Jelani
“one who is mighty; strong”
64% boys · 36% girls
Enzi
“a strong young boy”
70% boys · 30% girls
Kimoni
“a great man”
57% boys · 43% girls
Adama
“a beautiful child; regal and majestic”
41% boys · 59% girls
Audi
“the last daughter born”
43% boys · 57% girls
Olamide
“our son is our prosperity”
62% boys · 38% girls
Akari
61% boys · 39% girls