Amos

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Amos

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Amos is a Hebrew name meaning “Borne by God,” or “Strength” or “Eagle.” According to A Dictionary of First Names, there is a Hebrew verb “amos” meaning “to carry.”

History:
Amos is a Biblical name, one that belonged to a prophet in the Old Testament and the book that bears his name.

As one of the more minor prophets, the name Amos was not well known in medieval Christian Europe. It did not become common among English-speakers until the 17th century, after the Reformation, when increased literacy and the King James Bible appeared. Amos became especially popular among the Puritan settlers of England’s American colonies.

By the 19th century, Amos had entered into a slow decline, although it remained common for years. The name Amos finally fell off of the U.S. “Top 1000 Names lists” in 1998.

In Britain, Amos remained common until the early 20th century.

Pronunciation: ay-mos.

Alternates: Amasa.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Amos Kindle (1789-1869)
American journalist.
Amos Total (1920-1997)
Nigerian novelist.
Amos Oz (1939-)
Israeli novelist.

Miscellaneous:
Amos Hart (1926)
Rocs Hart’s husband in the play 1926 play Chicago, the 1927 film Chicago, the 1947 film Rocs Hart, the 1975 musical Chicago and the 2002 film musical Chicago.
Amos Jones (1927)
From the old radio duo Amos ‘n’ Andy.

Miscellaneous:
Amos Alone Stag (1862-1965)
American football coach.
Amos Russia (1871-1942)
American baseball player.

Religious Figures:
Amos (Biblical)
Hebrew prophet.

Scientists:
Amos Eaton (1776-1842)
American botanist.

Singers and Entertainers:
Junior Wells (Amos Wells, Junior) (1934-1998)
American blues singer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.020 % named Amos

Popularity of Amos:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 69th most popular.
1850: 73rd most popular.
1875: 105th most popular.
1880: 105th most popular.
1881: 117th most popular.
1882: 109th most popular.
1883: 113th most popular.
1884: 110th most popular.
1885: 121st most popular.
1886: 120th most popular.
1887: 126th most popular.
1888: 161st most popular.
1889: 124th most popular.
1890: 127th most popular.
1891: 132nd most popular.
1892: 136th most popular.
1893: 142nd most popular.
1894: 142nd most popular.
1895: 162nd most popular.
1896: 149th most popular.
1897: 165th most popular.
1898: 169th most popular.
1899: 179th most popular.
1900: 168th most popular.
1901: 176th most popular.
1902: 177th most popular.
1903: 191st most popular.
1904: 187th most popular.
1905: 182nd most popular.
1906: 166th most popular.
1907: 173rd most popular.
1908: 181st most popular.
1909: 191st most popular.
1910: 205th most popular.
1911: 183rd most popular.
1912: 221st most popular.
1913: 210th most popular.
1914: 218th most popular.
1915: 219th most popular.
1916: 223rd most popular.
1917: 236th most popular.
1918: 228th most popular.
1919: 231st most popular.
1920: 246th most popular.
1921: 239th most popular.
1922: 237th most popular.
1923: 249th most popular.
1924: 256th most popular.
1925: 257th most popular.
1926: 268th most popular.
1927: 247th most popular.
1928: 271st most popular.
1929: 287th most popular.
1930: 260th most popular.
1931: 289th most popular.
1932: 280th most popular.
1933: 282nd most popular.
1934: 291st most popular.
1935: 313th most popular.
1936: 312th most popular.
1937: 322nd most popular.
1938: 314th most popular.
1939: 336th most popular.
1940: 341st most popular.
1941: 349th most popular.
1942: 372nd most popular.
1943: 368th most popular.
1944: 361st most popular.
1945: 371st most popular.
1946: 401st most popular.
1947: 394th most popular.
1948: 398th most popular.
1949: 405th most popular.
1950: 401st most popular.
1951: 390th most popular.
1952: 392nd most popular.
1953: 399th most popular.
1954: 427th most popular.
1955: 434th most popular.
1956: 474th most popular.
1957: 490th most popular.
1958: 472nd most popular.
1959: 486th most popular.
1960: 490th most popular.
1961: 494th most popular.
1962: 523rd most popular.
1963: 549th most popular.
1964: 559th most popular.
1965: 507th most popular.
1966: 566th most popular.
1967: 543rd most popular.
1968: 610th most popular.
1969: 582nd most popular.
1970: 671st most popular.
1971: 561st most popular.
1972: 628th most popular.
1973: 546th most popular.
1974: 540th most popular.
1975: 565th most popular.
1976: 548th most popular.
1977: 526th most popular.
1978: 501st most popular.
1979: 499th most popular.
1980: 529th most popular.
1981: 513th most popular.
1982: 555th most popular.
1983: 557th most popular.
1984: 549th most popular.
1985: 581st most popular.
1986: 621st most popular.
1987: 648th most popular.
1988: 652nd most popular.
1989: 754th most popular.
1990: 777th most popular.
1991: 786th most popular.
1992: 821st most popular.
1993: 780th most popular.
1994: 873rd most popular.
1995: 886th most popular.
1996: 981st most popular.
1997: 963rd most popular.
1998-2004: N/A

Selected Sources:
The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Withycombe, 1977, 3rd ed.
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hedges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Picketing, 1999
The Words worth Dictionary of First Names, Mcleod and Freedman, 1995

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org
)