Ayumi is a feminine Japanese given name. It originates from the kanji characters 歩 (ayumu), which mean "to walk" or "to stride," and 美 (mi), which means "beauty." Therefore, Ayumi can be interpreted to mean "beautiful stride" or "walking beauty."
The name Ayumi has been in use since at least the early 20th century. However, it gained popularity during the baby boom following World War II when many couples chose traditional Japanese names for their children as a symbol of patriotism and cultural pride.
Today, Ayumi is still a popular choice among Japanese parents but has also gained international recognition due to its melodic sound and meaning. It is often associated with gracefulness and elegance, reflecting the beauty and harmony found in nature.
Based on the statistics provided, we can analyze the trend of the name Ayumi among newborns in the United States over several decades.
Starting from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, there were consistently fewer than 10 births per year with the name Ayumi. However, beginning in 1985 and continuing through the end of the century, we see a noticeable increase in popularity, with more than 10 births per year occurring annually from 1986 to 2000.
This upward trend continued into the new millennium, with over 20 births per year every year from 2006 until 2023. The peak year for Ayumi's popularity was in 2020, with a total of 26 births that year. Since then, there has been a slight dip in popularity, but it remains consistently higher than previous decades.
Overall, these statistics show that the name Ayumi has seen periods of both growth and decline in popularity over time, with a notable increase since the turn of the century.