Jamal

Jamal - A very unique male name

Jamal appeared on the charts for the first time in 1959 on position #1667. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Jamal and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Jamal? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Jamal. The baby boy name Jamal was given to 114 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1231 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 12,862 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Jamal peaked in popularity 33 years ago in 1993 on position 233.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Jamal, 1-5?

Jamal is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Jamal is currently topping the baby name charts in Michigan at position #617 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,541.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Jamal is where you live.

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Jamal origin and meaning

Arabic

'Beauty' — from Arabic jamāl, beauty and grace.

Jamal is a long-established Arabic name built on the word for beauty. It entered wider American use in the second half of the 20th century, peaked in 1993, and has been falling since.

Attested etymology

Jamal is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Jamal, pop culture references for the name Jamal and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Jamal

We've found the following names that sound similar to Jamal, sorted by popularity.

Jamel / Jamaal / Jamil / Jameel / Josemanuel / Jamell / Janiel / Juanmanuel / Jonael / Jemal /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Jamal

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Jamal a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Jamal?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

juh-MAHL · /dʒəˈmɑːl/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Jamaal — Double-a spelling variant.
• Jamel — Variant spelling, also a name in its own right.

Famous bearers

• Jamal Murray — NBA guard for the Denver Nuggets (b. 1997) Contemporary
• Jamal Crawford — Long-time NBA guard and three-time Sixth Man of the Year (b. 1980) Contemporary

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Jamal for its strong, melodic sound and its clear, positive meaning in Arabic.

Worth knowing

• The Jamaal spelling is a frequent mix-up.