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Amma as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Amma

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The baby name Amma is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced AH-muh (English approximation) — /ˈɑːmə/ or /ˈæmə/,Tamil/Malayalam: AM-ma with a geminated 'm' — [amːa].

Amma is Akan, Malayalam, Tamil, Twi in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Akan, Malayalam, Tamil, Twi
Pronunciation: AH-muh (English approximation) — /ˈɑːmə/ or /ˈæmə/,Tamil/Malayalam: AM-ma with a geminated 'm' — [amːa]

What is the meaning of the name Amma ?

The baby name Amma is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced AH-muh (English approximation) — /ˈɑːmə/ or /ˈæmə/,Tamil/Malayalam: AM-ma with a geminated 'm' — [amːa].

Amma is Akan, Malayalam, Tamil, Twi in Origin.

Amma is a cross-cultural feminine name and honorific. In Akan (Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire), it functions as a regional spelling of Ama, the day name for girls born on Saturday. In the Dravidian languages of South India - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam - amma is the everyday word for “mother,” used as a respectful title and sometimes adopted as a given name; comparable maternal uses appear in Hindi–Urdu (Amma/Ammi) and Sinhala. In Icelandic and Old Norse, amma means “grandmother,” reinforcing the kinship sense.

It appears in West African records (often interchangeable with Ama) and in diaspora communities, and is borne as a devotional or public name by spiritual figures and social leaders. Early Christian monastic texts use Amma as the honorific for Desert Mothers such as Amma Syncletica and Amma Sarah. Related forms and diminutives include Ama, Ammi, and Ammu. Meanings center on “Saturday-born,” “mother,” or “grandmother,” evoking nurture, seniority, and auspicious birth.

Amma has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Amma

Amma Asante Actor · Born 1969 · United Kingdom Amma Asante is a British filmmaker and actress, best known for directing the critically acclaimed films 'Belle' and 'A United Kingdom'. She began her career as an actress in the UK before transitioning to directing, where she has made a significant impact with her storytelling and focus on historical narratives.

Amma – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
IN 0 #71 1 2,963
MV Boys 0 #76 4 3,375
AF Girls 0 #94 1 2,402
ID Girls 0 #102 1 3,319
SD 0 #102 1 2,130
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
BN Boys 0 #139 1 6,332
AE 0 #186 2 10,220
GH 0 #220 24 5,396
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
GH Girls 0 #232 99 6,973
BD 0 #240 2 5,992
JP Girls 0 #251 1 6,592
TW Boys 0 #256 1 7,111
MO Girls 0 #261 3 7,056
NG 0 #268 5 5,926
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
JM Girls 0 #276 3 7,507
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
TW Girls 0 #286 4 8,139
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
QA Girls 0 #300 17 15,378
SA 0 #305 8 10,560
DK Girls 0 #326 4 7,429
KZ Girls 0 #331 2 5,862
DK Boys 0 #332 1 7,401
JO Girls 0 #336 4 7,570
SD Girls 0 #355 4 7,678
CN Girls 0 #358 2 8,829
PL Girls 0 #363 2 5,096
OM Girls 0 #369 28 15,987
BD Girls 0 #376 11 8,413
JO Boys 0 #388 2 7,057
YE 0 #396 3 8,639
France Girls 2021 #403 3 3,185
EG 0 #411 2 6,387
PH Girls 0 #429 1 13,098
KW Girls 0 #442 74 19,177
SD Boys 0 #461 6 10,523
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
RU Girls 0 #489 10 11,913
CM Girls 0 #509 32 11,671
LY 0 #516 20 12,703
IQ Girls 0 #517 9 11,303
PA Girls 0 #518 1 9,861
RU Boys 0 #524 3 12,621
AE Girls 0 #530 24 20,968
UY Girls 0 #533 4 6,731
BH 0 #541 13 17,937
IR Girls 0 #544 2 8,334
PS Girls 0 #546 2 10,981
HK Boys 0 #557 1 12,905
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
CM Boys 0 #569 7 12,054
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
SG Girls 0 #576 11 18,916
BD Boys 0 #599 7 10,045
HK Girls 0 #603 13 16,104
IN Girls 0 #603 29 13,121
AR Girls 0 #624 7 8,289
IL Boys 0 #625 1 10,983
IL Girls 0 #644 2 11,648
BO Girls 0 #651 1 9,488
IQ Boys 0 #654 14 13,071
SG Boys 0 #682 16 17,960
LB 0 #686 5 13,263
QA Boys 0 #689 19 18,093
CL Boys 0 #700 1 13,390
NG Girls 0 #710 77 15,093
KW Boys 0 #719 51 18,755
Finland Girls 2026 #734 5 3,895
SY 0 #761 7 11,684
TN 0 #808 22 13,765
OM Boys 0 #827 55 17,948
SA Girls 0 #866 70 25,931
EG Boys 0 #875 12 15,035
United States Girls 2024 #912 5 8,487
CL Girls 0 #913 3 14,098
PE Boys 0 #926 1 14,506
MY Girls 0 #939 56 24,821
NG Boys 0 #939 13 16,906
NL Girls 0 #944 12 5,933
EG Girls 0 #948 12 14,742
IN Boys 0 #948 54 16,750
MX Boys 0 #1,033 1 16,355
AE Boys 0 #1,056 37 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,087 25 25,439
MA 0 #1,098 31 20,986
DZ 0 #1,105 72 20,130
ZA Girls 0 #1,127 15 25,928
CO Girls 0 #1,150 3 16,140
TR 0 #1,202 10 19,440
MX Girls 0 #1,265 3 17,781
ZA Boys 0 #1,270 3 25,619
IT Girls 0 #1,390 57 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,459 13 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,544 71 28,008

Amma is popular in 59 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
France
AE
AF
AL

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Amma

Amma is predominantly a girl's name.
Amma is a 2 syllable name, pronounced AH-muh (English approximation) — /ˈɑːmə/ or /ˈæmə/,Tamil/Malayalam: AM-ma with a geminated 'm' — [amːa].
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Ama, Ammah, Ammā, Ammu and Ammaji.
Across languages, Amma has these equivalents: Mama (literal 'mother' in many languages; used as a name or honorific), Ama (Akan/Twi spelling variant used for Saturday-born girls).
Yes — Amma ranked #403 in France in 2021, and appears in official birth registries across 3 countries.
Amma ranks highest in France (#403 in 2021).
Amma's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #926 in 2014 to #912 in 2024 in United States.
Yes — 1 notable people named Amma are in our database, including Amma Asante (Actor).