Declining since 1988.
Popularity of Jamahl since 1969
Babies named Jamahl per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1988, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Jamahl's real moment was 1980.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 10 |
| 1970s | 149 |
| 1980s | 200 |
| 1990s | 174 |
| 2000s | 127 |
| 2010s | 67 |
| 2020s | 7 |
Meaning & origin
Jamahl is a phonetic spelling of the classic Arabic name Jamal, meaning 'handsome.' Though it has never ranked in the top 1000 U.S. names, it saw a period of modest use peaking in 1980. Since 1988, its usage has been steadily declining. The name is rarely given today; for example, even in its peak decade of the 1980s, it remained a rare choice. Jamahl is a distinctly modern American variant, reflecting the broader trend of creative respellings among African American families in the late 20th century.
Jamahl is an English phonetic variant of the Arabic name Jamal, which derives from the root j-m-l meaning 'to be beautiful' or 'to be handsome.' The name Jamal has been borne across the Arabic-speaking world for centuries, and Jamahl represents a common anglicized spelling that emerged in the United States in the late 20th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jam, Jay
Sibling names for Jamahl
Names that share Jamahl's style, for a brother or sister.
