Ames is an English and French surname that comes from the Old French ami or the Latin amicus and means "friend" or "beloved". It is also a town in Iowa and a familiar New England family name, and as a first name it has the clipped, preppy feel of Hayes and Reid. Ames has stayed rare in the United States, peaked at number 1695 in 2020 and ranks number 1754 among boys' names in 2025.