Amira is a feminine given name of Arabic origin, directly derived from the masculine
Amir 1, which means "commander" or "prince" in Arabic. It is commonly used across the Arab world, as well as in Muslim-majority countries such as Malaysia and Bosnia. The name is the equivalent of the masculine title
emir, and as such, Amira is widely interpreted as "princess" or "commander's wife."
Etymology
The name Amira stems from the Arabic root
'-m-r (root meaning to command or rule), same as
Amir 1. It follows a typical feminine formation by adding the suffix
-a to the masculine noun. In Bosnian, a South Slavic language, the variant form
Emira is used, reflecting the local adoption of the Arabic name through Ottoman influence. Similarly, in Malay and Indonesian cultures,
Amirah is a common spelling variant, often transliterated according to local phonetics.
Notable Bearers
Notable women bearing the name Amira include Amira Hass (born 1956), an Israeli journalist known for her reporting on Palestinian affairs; Amira al-Qaidi (born 1991), a Yemeni journalist who won RIP's International Press Freedom Award; and Amira Casar (born 1971), a French actress often appearing in European cinema. In the Arab world, Amira also appears as a princess in popular Middle Eastern series and historical accounts.
- Meaning: Princess, commander's wife
- Origin / Root: Feminine form of Amir 1 (Arabic), from the root 'mr meaning "command, order"
- Type: Feminine given name
- Common variant forms: Ameera (Arabic), Amirah (Malay), Emira (Bosnian)