Amelia
Amelia comes from the Germanic "amal," meaning work or striving. It is not a name about being pretty or beloved — it is a name about effort and determination. The Amelia of history who best embodies this is Amelia Earhart, the aviator who disappeared over the Pacific in 1937 while attempting to fly around the world. The name has medieval roots — there was a Saint Amalberga in the 7th century — but it became widely popular only in the 18th century, when the Hanoverian kings of Britain named several princesses Amelia. The name had a long, steady presence in the top 100 throughout the 20th century, then surged in the 2010s. Amelia reached #1 in the UK in 2011 and held it for years. In the US, it entered the top 10 in 2018 and has been climbing since. The sound of Amelia is its greatest asset. The three syllables flow like water — "a-MEEL-ya" — with the "M" and "L" providing softness and the vowels providing openness. It sounds like a name from a novel, which is appropriate because it has appeared in quite a few (Thackeray, Fielding, Henry James). Amelia is a female name of Germanic origin that means "Industrious, striving". Determined, adventurous, and graceful. The name sounds like it is always moving forward. Amelias are rarely content standing still. UK #1 from 2011-2015. US top 5 and rising. Well-known people named Amelia include Amelia Earhart (aviator), Amelia Warner (musician), Amelia Boynton Robinson (activist), Amelia (fictional, various novels). Common variations and related forms of Amelia include Emilia (related but distinct origin), Amalie (German/French), Amélia (Portuguese), Amy (short form).