Name Origins: AMELIA

Name Origins by Julie Helen Otto

AMELIA (f): Derived from the Germanic root amal-, which is of uncertain meaning, this name became popular at about the same time as the similar-sounding EMILY, which is derived probably via French EMILIE, from Latin AEMILIA, feminine of a Roman family name. (The French equivalent of AMELIA is AMÉLIE.) Amelias abounded in many German royal families, including that of Hanover, a reason for much of the name's popularity in English-speaking countries. The name may well have gained further currency due to the character of Amelia in Henry Fielding's novel (1751) of that name; the virtuous heroine is said to have been modeled on the author's wife, Charlotte Cradock. Amelia Potter, daughter of Stephen Potter, of Coventry, Rhode Island, married Chandler Holmes of Woodstock, Connecticut, in Woodstock on January 4, 1787 (Woodstock, Ct., Vital Records, 1686-1854 on AmericanAncestors.org). On May 21, 1856, Pascal B. Simons of Manchester, N.H., married Amelia Henry of Goffstown, N.H., in Goffstown. (Goffstown, N.H., Town Records, on AmericanAncestors.org). & from Wikipedia: Fictional characters  Title character in Henry Fielding's novel Amelia (novel) Title character in Amelia's notebooks, a series of books by Marissa Moss Naughty Amelia Jane, doll antiheroine of a children's book series by Enid Blyton Amelia (Underworld), the only female Vampire Elder in the Underworld film series Amelia Bedelia, title character in books by Peggy Parish Amelia Bones in the Harry Potter series Amelia Bonetti, character portrayed by Giulietta Masina in the 1986 film Ginger and Fred by Federico Fellini Amelia Louise McBride, title character in the graphic novel series Amelia Rules! by Jimmy Gownley Amelia Peabody, the main character in a series of mystery novels by Elizabeth Peters Amelia Pond, usually called Amy Pond, companion of the Eleventh Doctor in the television series Doctor Who Amélie Poulain from Jean-Pierre Jeunet's French comedy film Amélie. Amelia Sedley in Vanity Fair (novel) by William Thackeray Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun in anime Slayers Amelia Shepherd in the medical TV drama Private Practice Amelia Thermopolis, commonly called Mia, main character in The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot Amelia Voght in X-Men Amelia Sachs in the Lincoln Rhyme Series, written by Jeffrey Deaver, played by Angelina Jolie in the movie version of The Bone Collector.