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ArchivesRe: Origin of female name AMANDA what country/ years
in reply to a message by Thomas R. Spratt
"Amanda" is the feminine form of the Lating "Amandus", meaning "fit to be loved". Although many reference sources claim that the name "Amanda" is a 17th-century invention, British onomastician P.H. Reaney claims to have found a record of an "Amanda filia Johannis" ("Amanda, daughter of John") for the year 1221 in Warwickshire England.
The name was picked up by playwrights such as Colley Cibber (1617-1757) in his *Love's Last Shift*, and Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726) in his *The Relapse*. Also, characters in the 18th century novels *Peregrine Pickle* and *Tristram Shandy* bore the name.
The name occurs in a Nottingham parish register of deaths for the year 1805.
In 1930, the famous British playwright Noel Coward used the name for his character, Amanda Prynne in his *Private Lives*, which brought the name into popular consciousness.
By the 1940s the name had become fashionable in Britain, and by the 1980s "Amanda" was ranked the #3 most popular name for girl babies in the United States.
-- Nanaea
The name was picked up by playwrights such as Colley Cibber (1617-1757) in his *Love's Last Shift*, and Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726) in his *The Relapse*. Also, characters in the 18th century novels *Peregrine Pickle* and *Tristram Shandy* bore the name.
The name occurs in a Nottingham parish register of deaths for the year 1805.
In 1930, the famous British playwright Noel Coward used the name for his character, Amanda Prynne in his *Private Lives*, which brought the name into popular consciousness.
By the 1940s the name had become fashionable in Britain, and by the 1980s "Amanda" was ranked the #3 most popular name for girl babies in the United States.
-- Nanaea
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Replies
I know so many Amanda's - most of them have the same last intial too! Its crazy!
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I love your sight!! Fore a long time,I wanted to know where my name comes from.I asked my parents what country my name Amanda comes from.They didn't know.Thank you for putting this sight together!!
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Thank u so much :D its so kool 2 know where my name came from. I didnt reely like the name at first because of the jokes made about it (yknow, saying it slowly an stuf), but now i know its meanin and origin, its not so bad ! thnx
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Amanda also has the meaning of "Almond" from the French Amande. According to the OED, the French "Amande" can be traced to the Greek "amygdalo"also meaning almond. Dont know if Amande's and Amanda's etymologies cross, but almonds *are* fit to be loved, especially when consumed with a good high-octane drink.
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my name is amanda therefore i was interested in knowing the origin of my name and where it came from. i new that amanda ment "deserving of love" or "great love", however i never knew where it came from. thinking of myself as an almond is a little weird but i did enjoy learing more about my name. thank you
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