How to say it
A · my
ˈeɪ.mi
Feminine
Amy
Beloved
What it means
From the Old French Amée, 'beloved,' which goes back to Latin amata. Plainly affectionate, no second meaning to decode.
Amy comes from Old French Amée, the feminine of amer 'to love,' from Latin amata, 'beloved.' Medieval England used forms like Amice and Amye before the modern spelling settled. Louisa May Alcott's Little Women gave it the youngest March sister, and it peaked in the US in the 1970s. The French Aimée and singer Amy Winehouse keep both the soft and the edgy sides of the name in view.
How to spell Amy
The standard spelling is Amy. Common variants include Aimee, Amie, Amee, but Amy is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #2 in 1973, currently #257 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
The French Aimée (also 'beloved') is the dressier spelling; Amie and Amee are the plainer ones.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Amy Winehouse British soul singer-songwriter
- Amy Adams American actress
- Amy March the youngest sister in Little Women
Spelling variants
- Aimee
- Amie
- Amee
Names with the same feeling
See Amy from another angle
By meaning
Common questions
- What does the name Amy mean?
- From the Old French Amée, 'beloved,' which goes back to Latin amata. Plainly affectionate, no second meaning to decode.
- What does Amy mean in Old French?
- In Old French, Amy means "Beloved." Amy comes from Old French Amée, the feminine of amer 'to love,' from Latin amata, 'beloved.' Medieval England used forms like Amice and Amye before the modern spelling settled. Louisa May Alcott's Little Women gave it the youngest March sister, and it peaked in the US in the 1970s. The French Aimée and singer Amy Winehouse keep both the soft and the edgy sides of the name in view.
- How do you pronounce Amy?
- Amy is pronounced ˈeɪ.mi. Say it as A-my, with the stress on the "a" syllable.
- How do you spell Amy?
- The standard spelling is Amy. Common spelling variants include Aimee, Amie, Amee.
- Is Amy a boy or girl name?
- Amy is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Amy?
- Amy ranked #257 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.