Jamal

جَمَال

Boy Arabic /ja-MAAL/ #1036 in 2023

Jamal is a boy name of Arabic origin.

Meaning of Jamal

"Beauty, elegance, grace." A central aesthetic concept in Arabic culture, subject of a vast mystical and poetic literature.

Arabic root: j-m-l — (ج-م-ل, beauty)

Regional variants

Deeply established in African-American naming traditions since the 1970s — independent of explicit Muslim identification. One of the most integrated Arabic names in the US.

Popularity of Jamal

Popularity, 1946–2023

211 births in 2023

1946 2023

32,888 U.S. births recorded from 1946–2023.

Peak year

1993

1,246 babies

First recorded

1946

77 years of history

Recent trend

Falling

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Variants & nicknames

JamaalGamalDjamel

Related guide

Arabic Names That Work in English Without Explanation

25 Arabic names that American teachers, doctors, and neighbors pronounce correctly on the first try. For families who want heritage without the daily spelling bee.

Read the full guide →

Famous people named Jamal

Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egyptian president)
Jamal Crawford (NBA player)

Similar names

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Jennifer

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Jennifer, also spelled Jenifer or Jenefer, is a feminine given name, the Cornish form of Guinevere, that became popular in the English-speaking world in the 20th century

Jessica is a female given name of English origin

Jason

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Jeffrey

Boy · Germanic languages

The usual U

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.