NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Ami

A feminine Japanese name meaning "friend" or "lovely.".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Ami is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ami popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 68 births.

This profile covers 839 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 6% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,097 living people in the UK are called Ami. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Ami ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 68 girls were registered as Ami.
  • Ami ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #370 in 2008.
  • About 1,097 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ami as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4843

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

1996

68 births

Estimated living

1,097

2026

Meaning

What does Ami mean?

The name Ami has its origins in several languages and cultures across the globe. It finds its roots in the Sanskrit language, derived from the word "amita," meaning "boundless" or "infinite." This ancient Sanskrit name was commonly used in parts of South Asia, particularly in India.

Ami also has connections to the Japanese language, where it is a gender-neutral name. In Japanese, the name can be written using different kanji characters, each carrying a distinct meaning. For instance, one variation means "friend" or "companion," while another translates to "beautiful."

In French, the name Ami is a masculine form meaning "friend" or "beloved." It has been used as a given name in France and other French-speaking regions for centuries.

Historically, the name Ami has appeared in various religious texts and scriptures. In Hinduism, the concept of "Amitabha" (Infinite Light) is a central figure in certain branches of Buddhism, particularly in the Pure Land tradition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ami dates back to the 6th century BCE, with the Indian philosopher and scholar Ami Tathagata, who was renowned for his teachings on the nature of existence.

In the 12th century, Ami Khusrau, a renowned Persian poet and scholar, made significant contributions to the literary and cultural landscape of the Indian subcontinent.

During the 16th century, Ami Argon, a French explorer and navigator, embarked on several expeditions to the Americas and the Caribbean, leaving a lasting impact on early European exploration.

In the realm of art, Ami Merchant was an Indian painter and sculptor from the 18th century, known for her intricate and vibrant depictions of traditional Indian themes.

More recently, Ami Vitale, an American photojournalist and documentary filmmaker born in 1971, has gained international recognition for her compelling visual storytelling and advocacy for various social and environmental causes.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Ami, showcasing its diverse cultural and linguistic origins, as well as its enduring presence across various fields and eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ami over time

The chart below shows babies named Ami registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Ami, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 68 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Ami
017345168199620102024

Decades

Ami by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ami was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #4353 20 4
2010s #2421 150 10
2000s #728 434 10
1990s #490 235 4

Geography

Where Ami is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ami. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Ami ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #370 in 2008.

Scotland
5
Northern Ireland
4

Across the UK

Ami in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#579 in 2011

31 years of NRS records, 253 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#370 in 2008

4 years of NISRA records, 13 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Ami

  • Ami Chorlton

    actor

    actress

    1983-

  • Ami Canaan Mann

    screenwriter; television director; film director

    American film director

    1969-

Related

Names similar to Ami

FAQ

Ami: questions and answers

How popular is the name Ami in the UK right now?

In 2024, Ami was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Ami most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 68 babies registered as Ami in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ami?

A feminine Japanese name meaning "friend" or "lovely.".

How many people are called Ami in the UK?

A total of 839 babies have been registered as Ami across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 253 more in Scotland and 13 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Ami most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Ami ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #370 in 2008. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.