Meaning: Its source is amans, a Latin name meaning "Loved one."

Languages: This boy's name was used in Latin.

Narrative: The connection of Amandus to the modern feminine name Amanda is a matter of dispute, and there hangs the controvery over the name's derivation.

Clearly the 17th-century playwrights, Cibber and Vanbrugh, who popularized Amanda, had the Latin term meaning ''loved one'' in mind when they selected it for characters in their plays.

However, Amandus is an ancient name that developed out of ancient circumstances. It is possible that it derived from a sadder source than the feminine name, a Latin verb amandare meaning ''to send away.'' So Amandus could have been a name given to those far from home, and perhaps means ''cast-away'' or ''exile.''