Amari

♂ Boy

Pronounced uh-MAR-ee /əˈmɑːr.i/High

Meaning: Strength; builder; eternal; from African (Yoruba/Swahili) amari (strength, builder) or Hebrew amar (to speak, to say)Medium

In 30 seconds: An African name meaning 'strength' or 'builder,' used across West and East African traditions. It has become one of the most popular boys' names in African American communities over the past two decades.

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Origin MediumAfrican, Hebrew

MeaningStrength; builder; eternal; from African (Yoruba/Swahili) amari (strength, builder) or Hebrew amar (to speak, to say)

U.S. rank (2025)#185 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births2,000 boys (0.12% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2023

Total births (all-time)≈ 31,973

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

Amari has multiple African origins: in Yoruba it relates to 'strength,' and in Swahili traditions it has associations with 'eternal.' In Hebrew the root amar means 'to say, to speak.' The convergence of these roots in one phonetic form makes it a genuinely multicultural name.

Amari entered the U.S. boys' charts in the 1990s and has been rising steadily, particularly in African American communities. It ranked #172 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? Amari is also a Japanese word meaning 'too much, excessively' — one of the rarer coincidences in global naming where the same phonetic form exists across African, Hebrew, and Japanese traditions with completely different meanings.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name — Amari — African etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

AmareAmarie

Nicknames

AmMari

Famous Bearers

★Amari Cooper (1994-)
American NFL wide receiver

If you like Amari…

Omari— three-syllable -mari Swahili name meaning 'God the highest'

Jabari— Swahili name meaning brave, in the same East African tradition

Kamari— three-syllable -ari name in the same African naming space

Zakari— shares Amari's Hebrew roots

Jacari— another Hebrew name

Explore names like Amari

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Amari mean?

Amari means 'strength' or 'builder' in African (Yoruba/Swahili) traditions, and 'eternal.' Multiple African origins share this phonetic form.

How do you pronounce Amari?

It's said uh-MAR-ee — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Amari a boy or girl name?

Amari is used for both sexes and charts on both boys' and girls' data.

How popular is Amari?

Amari ranked #172 for U.S. boys in 2024.