An aqueous ink composition for ink-jet recording comprising an aqueous solution of a water-soluble dye of formula (I) and a humectant dissolved in water: ##STR1## wherein Ar represents an unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group, or an unsubstituted or substituted naphthyl group; X represents a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, a halogen atom, an alkylamino group, a hydroxyalkylamino group, a cyclic amino group or an anilino group; M represents hydrogen, K, Na, Li, NH.sub.4 or an organic amine cation; and n is an integer of 1 or 2.