The name Aimée is of French origin and means "beloved" or "dear". It is derived from the Old French word 'aimé', which itself comes from the verb 'aimer' meaning 'to love'. The name has been popular throughout history, particularly in France, where it has been used for both boys and girls.
The use of Aimée as a girl's name gained prominence during the Middle Ages in France. It was often given to daughters as an expression of parental affection. In some cases, it was also used as a diminutive form of names like Amélie or Amandine, which have similar meanings.
In literature and art, Aimée has been used by various authors and artists to create characters who embody love and kindness. One notable example is Aimée Lavigne, the protagonist in Émile Zola's novel "Nana". However, despite its historical and literary significance, Aimée remains relatively rare today outside of France.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Aime experienced varying levels of popularity over the years in the United States.
The name Aime first appeared as a baby girl's name in 1907 with eight births that year. It then fluctuated in popularity over the following decades:
* The highest number of births recorded was in 1922, with 22 babies named Aime.
* There were several years where the name was quite popular, including 1914, 1915, and 1917, each with 17 or more births.
* However, there were also periods of decline in popularity. For instance, between 1930 and 1958, there were fewer than 10 births per year for the name Aime.
Interestingly, after a long period of rarity, the name Aime saw five births each in both 2008 and 2009, indicating that it may have been rediscovered by some parents as an unusual yet classic choice. Overall, there were a total of 474 babies named Aime born in the United States over the years for which data was provided.