Ahmir

♂ Boy

Pronounced ah-MEER /ɑːˈmɪər/High

Meaning: Prince; commander; from Arabic amir (prince, leader, commander) with an Ah- prefix; possibly also influenced by Hebrew amirah (treetop)Medium

In 30 seconds: A name meaning 'prince' or 'commander' from Arabic amir, with an Ah- opening that may reflect artistic choice or phonetic variation. The most famous bearer is ?uestlove (Ahmir Khalib Thompson), drummer of The Roots.

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Origin MediumArabic, Hebrew

MeaningPrince; commander; from Arabic amir (prince, leader, commander) with an Ah- prefix; possibly also influenced by Hebrew amirah (treetop)

U.S. rank (2024)#1032 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births215 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,650

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ahmir is likely a variant of Amir (Arabic: prince, commander) with an Ah- opening. The Arabic root amir (commander) gives English the word 'admiral' (from amir al-bahr: commander of the sea).

Ahmir has appeared in U.S. boys' birth data from the 1990s. It ranked #1032 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? ?uestlove (Ahmir Thompson), the Grammy-winning drummer and musical director of The Roots, chose 'Questlove' as his stage name — but his birth name Ahmir gives him one of music's most distinctive given names.

Overall data confidence 80%

U.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

AmirAmeer

Nicknames

AhMir

Famous Bearers

★Questlove (Ahmir Thompson) (1971–present)
American musician, drummer, and musical director for The Roots and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Born Ahmir Khalib Thompson.

If you like Ahmir…

Amir— the standard spelling of the same Arabic prince/commander name

Amiri— three-syllable -iri ending form of the same root

Kareem— Arabic name meaning generous, in the same Islamic naming tradition

Khalid— Arabic name meaning eternal, in the same two-syllable Arabic register

Nazir— Arabic name meaning observer in the same community

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ahmir mean?

Ahmir means 'prince' or 'commander,' from Arabic amir (leader, prince) with an Ah- prefix.

How do you pronounce Ahmir?

It's said ah-MEER — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Ahmir a boy or girl name?

Ahmir is used as a boys' name.

How popular is Ahmir?

Ahmir ranked #1032 for U.S. boys in 2024.