Where does the name Emir come from?

Emir is a boy name of Arabic origin. "Emir" is the Turkish/Bosnian spelling; "Amir" is Arabic-standard.

Is Emir a boy or a girl name?

Emir is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 4,537 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Emir in 2023?

Emir ranks #583 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2023 with 492 babies.

How do you pronounce Emir?

Emir is pronounced eh-MEER (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Emir?

Emir is also written as Amir, Emir.

A name from Arabic · Boy

Emir

أَمِير

"Prince, commander, leader." An Arabic title of authority — the root of the English word "admiral." Used as a given name especially in Turkish and Bosnian families.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 53-year arc in numbers.

4,537 U.S. births recorded from 1970–2023.

Popularity · 1970–2023

492 births in 2023

1970 1996 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

E"Prince, commander, leader." An Arabic title of authority — the root of the English word "admiral." Used as a given name especially in Turkish and Bosnian families.

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: ʾ-m-r — أ-م-ر, to command

Regional variants

"Emir" is the Turkish/Bosnian spelling; "Amir" is Arabic-standard. Both are used in the US — Amir is more common overall but Emir is rising fast, often as a Turkish-American choice.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Emir".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Amir Most common Emir

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Emir.

E
Amir Khan (British boxer)
E
Emir Kusturica (filmmaker)

Quick answers

People often ask about Emir.

What does the name Emir mean?: Emir means "Prince, commander, leader." An Arabic title of authority — the root of the English word "admiral." Used as a given name especially in Turkish and Bosnian families.
Where does the name Emir come from?: Emir is a boy name of Arabic origin. "Emir" is the Turkish/Bosnian spelling; "Amir" is Arabic-standard.
Is Emir a boy or a girl name?: Emir is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 4,537 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Emir in 2023?: Emir ranks #583 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2023 with 492 babies.
How do you pronounce Emir?: Emir is pronounced eh-MEER (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Emir?: Emir is also written as Amir, Emir.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.