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Bellamy

♂ Boy

Pronounced BEL-ah-mee /ˈbɛl.ə.mi/High

Meaning: From the Old French bel ami (beautiful friend or fine friend), from bel (beautiful, fine) and ami (friend); an affectionate term that became an English surname and, more recently, a stylish given nameHigh

In 30 seconds: Bellamy means beautiful friend in Old French, from bel (beautiful) and ami (friend) — a warm, elegant name that traveled from medieval France into English use.

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Origin HighOld French

MeaningFrom the Old French bel ami (beautiful friend or fine friend), from bel (beautiful, fine) and ami (friend); an affectionate term that became an English surname and, more recently, a stylish given name

U.S. rank (2025)#721 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births374 boys (0.02% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2021

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,008

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

Bellamy derives from the Old French phrase bel ami, combining bel (beautiful, fine) and ami (friend) to mean beautiful friend or fine companion. The earliest documented English record is Walter Belami, 1185, showing the name arrived with the Norman Conquest of 1066, when French vocabulary reshaped English naming. It remained primarily a surname for centuries — borne notably by Francis Bellamy (who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892) and Edward Bellamy (whose 1888 utopian novel was the third-bestselling American book of the 19th century) — before crossing into use as a given name in the 20th century.

Bellamy began rising as a given name in the United States in the 2010s, used for both boys and girls. It appears in the TV show The 100 as the male character Bellamy Blake, which broadened its recognition. Its lovely meaning and melodious sound make it appealing across gender lines.

Did you know? Francis Bellamy wrote the original U.S. Pledge of Allegiance in 1892 — a surprising piece of history hidden inside this elegant, French-rooted given name.

Overall data confidence 88%

Behind the Name — Bellamy — etymology and usageU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity dataOxford English Dictionary — entry: Bellamy — Bellamy documented as an English surname from Old French bel ami (fine friend); earliest attestations 13th centuryWithycombe, E. G. — The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 3rd ed. (OUP, 1977) — Bellamy traced from Old French bel + ami; transition from surname to given name and gender history documented

Variations

BelamyBellami

Nicknames

BellBelAmy

Famous Bearers

★Edward Bellamy (1850–1898)
American author of the utopian novel Looking Backward (1888).

If you like Bellamy…

Ocean— A modern unisex nature-word name with broad, optimistic appeal — shares the stylish, unexpected quality of Bellamy

Waste— Dakota word meaning good or beautiful — cross-cultural parallel with Bellamy's beautiful-friend meaning

Sumaq— Quechua name meaning beautiful — parallel beauty-meaning name from a very different tradition

Porã— Guaraní name meaning beautiful or good — shares the beauty theme from a distinct Indigenous tradition

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Frequently Asked

What does Bellamy mean?

Bellamy means fine friend or beautiful friend, from the Old French bel (beautiful, fine) and ami (friend). It originated as an affectionate term that evolved into an aristocratic surname in medieval England before transitioning to a given name.

How do you pronounce Bellamy?

Pronounced BEL-ah-mee, with three syllables and stress on the first. The double l is a single sound; each syllable is lightly voiced with primary stress on BEL.

What language does Bellamy come from?

Bellamy comes from Old French, the form of French introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Bel (fine, handsome) and ami (friend) are both standard Old French lexemes still recognizable in modern French.

Is Bellamy a boy's or girl's name?

Bellamy is genuinely unisex. Historically a surname and then a masculine given name, in 21st-century usage it is equally popular for girls, making it one of the more naturally gender-neutral name choices available.