America
America: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /əˈmɛɹɪkə/
Meaning and origin of America
- A female given name.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from New Latin America, feminine Latinized form of the Italian first name of Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512). Amerigo is an Italian name derived from a Germanic language and is etymologically related to Henry and Emmerich. The earliest known use of America for the (South) American continent is on a 1507 map by Martin Waldseemüller; see Naming of the Americas for more. Although this is the most widely accepted derivation, it has also been suggested that it could originate from the name of the Amerrisque mountains in Nicaragua (from Mayan), and another disputed theory is that it derives from the surname of Richard Amerike (1440–1503), whose surname is an anglicised form of Welsh
How popular is America?
Since 1880, 13,522 girls and 16 boys in the U.S. have been named America (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #411 in 2002. Its highest rank for boys was #3407 in 1915. In 2025, 117 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to America
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Sibling name ideas for America
Names that peaked around the same time as America and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
America FAQ
What does the name America mean?
A female given name. Learned borrowing from New Latin America, feminine Latinized form of the Italian first name of Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512). Amerigo is an Italian name derived from a Germanic language and is etymologically related to Henry and Emmerich. The earliest known use of America for the (South) American continent is on a 1507 map by Martin Waldseemüller; see Naming of the Americas for more. Although this is the most widely accepted derivation, it has also been suggested that it could originate from the name of the Amerrisque mountains in Nicaragua (from Mayan), and another disputed theory is that it derives from the surname of Richard Amerike (1440–1503), whose surname is an anglicised form of Welsh
How popular is the name America?
Since 1880, 13,522 girls and 16 boys in the U.S. have been named America (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #411 in 2002. Its highest rank for boys was #3407 in 1915. In 2025, 117 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is America a boy or girl name?
America is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 13,522 girls and 16 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.