Choosing a name for your child can be so difficult. It’s important that you find a name that you like and that suits your little one. But even if you have decided on a name, the decisions are still not over.
Most names have variations including spelling and pronunciation. Many variations are linked to a country of origin while others may just be a modern spelling of a classic name.
One such name is Amelia. We’re going to look at how it is spelled and the variations that are used.
In this article
The History of Amelia
Amelia is a female name that has its origins in both German and Latin. It is derived from the German word amal meaning ‘work.’ The name Amelia means industrious and striving and is also linked to fertility.
It has some diminutive forms including Amy, Emma, Milly, and Mel. The name also exists in Spanish and Romanian and is a variant of the English-language name Amalia.
Variations of Amelia
The many variations of Amelia is due to the history of the name which can be found in both English, Latin, and German. Of course, most have the same meaning as the original name of Amelia.
Here are a few of our favorites with their meanings.
- Emilia – pronounced e-MEE-lee-uh, meaning rival.
- Amala – pronounced aa-MAA-laa. It’s of German origin, meaning industrious.
- Amaleigh – pronounced AH-M-AH-L-IY. Also means industrious.
- Amilinda – pronounced AH-MAA-LIN-DAH. Still means industrious.
- Emmilyne – pronounce E-MI-LIN. It means industrious and labor.
Famous People Named Amelia
Amelia is a strong name that has been given to many famous women throughout history. Some of the most famous women with the name Amelia are:
View in gallery
Amelia Earhart
Born July 24th, 1897, Earhart was an American aviator and was a pioneer in aviation and also women’s role within this industry. Amelia was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
She set many other records too but was sadly declared dead January 5th, 1939 after going missing 18 months earlier.
Amelia Robles Avila
Born November 3rd, 1889, Avila was a colonel during the Mexican Revolution. She was assigned the gender of a female at birth. She fought in the Mexican Revolution and rose through the ranks to the rank of colonel.
She lived openly as a man from the age of 24 until his death on December 9th, 1984 at age 95.
Amelia Rose Earhart
Born January 18th, 1983, she is an American pilot and reporter for NBC affiliate KUSA- TV. From a very young age, Amelia was told by family that she was a descendant of the great pilot Amelia Earhart who she shared her name with.
She later hired a genealogist to research the connection. She was told that there was a distant common ancestry tracing back to the 1700s, but when a second genealogical search was carried out in 2013. No such connection could be found.
Amelia Boynton Robinson
Born August 18th, 1911, Robinson was an American activist who was a leader of the American Civil Rights Movements in Selma, Alabama.
In 1984, she became the founding Vice-President of the Schiller Institute. In 1990, she was awarded the Freedom Medal and the Martin Luther King Jr award.
Other Amelias in Pop Culture
Amelia has also been a popular name in fiction, including Amelia Bones in the Harry Potter Series and Amelia Sachs from the Lincoln Rhyme series of books by Jeffrey Deaver.
The Amelia theme has continued on-screen as well with Amelia (Amy) Pond from Doctor Who, Amelia Voght in X-Men, and Amelia (Mia) Thermopolis of The Princess Diaries.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a name for your little one takes time and a little bit of research just to make sure there are no surprises in history that share the name.
I don’t think you can go far wrong with the name Amelia with its roots deep in history and some very profound women with the name.
Any little girl with the name would no doubt be a bold, courageous forward-thinking person who would have a huge impact on this world.
