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Home › Baby Names Directory › Jamaal

Jamaal

♂ Boy

Pronounced jah-MAHL /dʒɑˈmɑl/High

Meaning: Beauty, grace; double-a spelling of Jamal, from Arabic jamalHigh

In 30 seconds: Beauty, spelled with conviction: Jamaal doubles the a of Jamal — the Arabic word for beauty itself — a 1970s American embrace that basketball signed permanently.
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Origin HighArabic
MeaningBeauty, grace; double-a spelling of Jamal, from Arabic jamal
U.S. rank (2025)#4078 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births26 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1982
Total births (all-time)≈ 8,542

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198219702025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Jamaal doubles the long vowel of Jamal — Arabic jamal, 'beauty, grace', from the root that also yields Jamil. The name surged in 1970s Black America alongside the broader embrace of Arabic names; congressman Jamaal Bowman and a line of NBA Jamaals (Wilkes, Magloire) carry the spelling.

It remains an uncommon classic — a generation's statement name now reading simply handsome and established.

Did you know? NBA scoring legend Jamaal Wilkes — nicknamed 'Silk' for his smoothness — wore this double-a spelling, a name meaning beauty earned on the hardwood.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name — Jamal — etymology

Variations

JamalJamelJamil

Nicknames

JamMaal

Famous Bearers

  • ★Jamaal Wilkes (1953–present)
    American Hall of Fame NBA forward, four-time champion nicknamed 'Silk'.

If you like Jamaal…

Jamal— the standard spelling of the same beauty
Jamil— the adjective sibling, 'beautiful'
Kamal— the companion Arabic virtue, 'perfection'
Bilal— lands in the same popularity range
Faisal— echoes that soft -al sound

Explore names like Jamaal

By themeamericanarabicclassic
By meaningGraceBeauty

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jamaal mean?

Jamaal is a spelling of Jamal, Arabic for 'beauty' or 'grace'.

How do you pronounce Jamaal?

It's said jah-MAHL /dʒɑˈmɑl/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Jamaal a boy or girl name?

Jamaal is a boy's name.

How popular is Jamaal?

Jamaal is an uncommon name in the U.S. today.

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