Ames

Meaning: Friend
Origin: English surname — From the medieval name Amis or Amice, from the Latin word for friend

Boy's name · #1754 in the US (2025) · Trending

Popularity over time

Ames is climbing: on the charts since 1913, it is ranked #1754 in 2025, with about 90 boys given the name last year. Roughly 1,900 have carried it all-time.

Across the states

See where Ames is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 5 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Ames ranks in other countries and regions.

#2,491 in Canada (2021) · #3,679 in Ecuador (2012).

Famous Ameses

Ames Van Wart — American sculptor (1841–1927)
Ames Hellicar — New Zealand cricketer (1847–1907)

As a surname

It is also an American family name — about 22,000 people carried it as a surname in the 2010 census.

Aldrich Ames — American CIA analyst and Soviet spy (1941–2026)
Bruce N. Ames — American biochemist (1928–2024)
Fisher Ames — American politician (1758–1808)

In stories & tradition

Ames White^fr — Dark Angel (TV series)

Similar names: Eesa · Amen · Aariz · Akai · Haroon · Ayub

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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