Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1988

Jamel

Gender Boy · 3% girls Rank 2025 #2,779 Trend ↓ Falling 38%
Rank 2025
#2,779
among boys · ↑30 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
46
named Jamel
How common
1 in 37,132
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1988
373 babies
All-time total
11,592
#1,125 all-time among boys
First recorded
1950
in Social Security records

Jamel popularity over time

11,592 babies have been named Jamel since 1950, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – 15 15 2 – #3,930
1960s 42 134 176 18 +1073% #1,140
1970s 132 1,713 1,845 185 +948% #472
1980s 123 3,072 3,195 320 +73% #467
1990s 65 2,725 2,790 279 -13% #519
2000s 5 1,985 1,990 199 -29% #791
2010s – 1,205 1,205 121 -39% #1,082
2020s (to 2025) – 376 376 63 -48% #1,821

Where Jamel is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 42 0.02 outside top 500
2027 40 0.02 outside top 500
2028 37 0.02 outside top 500
2029 36 0.02 outside top 500
2030 34 0.02 outside top 500

The story of Jamel

Jamel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,779 in 2025 with 46 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1950, 11,592 American babies have been named Jamel. Its peak came in 1988, when 373 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Jamel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Jamel?

The median living Jamel is about 34 years old; half are between 22 and 42. An estimated 11 thousand people named Jamel are alive in the United States today.

median 34 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Jamel year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 46 #2,779
2024 – – 46 #2,809
2023 – – 55 #2,454
2022 – – 64 #2,257
2021 – – 83 #1,859
2020 – – 82 #1,821
2019 – – 77 #1,923
2018 – – 88 #1,752
2017 – – 105 #1,560
2016 – – 104 #1,581
2015 – – 121 #1,422
2014 – – 103 #1,554
2013 – – 139 #1,258
2012 – – 141 #1,255
2011 – – 149 #1,189
2010 – – 178 #1,082
2009 – – 205 #975
2008 – – 182 #1,043
2007 – – 205 #964
2006 – – 194 #960
2005 – – 207 #882
2004 – – 182 #930
2003 5 #16,782 200 #864
2002 – – 218 #791
2001 – – 191 #845
2000 – – 201 #802
1995 9 #9,056 227 #703
1990 11 #7,511 359 #519
1985 13 #5,474 303 #500
1980 18 #4,206 276 #511
1975 15 #4,225 185 #593
1970 14 #4,119 37 #1,384
1965 – – 8 #3,100
1960 – – 5 #4,302
1955 – – – –
1950 – – 5 #3,930
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Jamel

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Jamel Debbouze Jamel Debbouze French actor, comedian and director (born 1975) Contemporary
  2. 2 Jamel Saihi Jamel Saihi Footballer (born 1987) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Jamel, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Jamel?

The median living Jamel is about 34 years old. Half of all living Jamels are between 22 and 42 years old.

How many people named Jamel are alive today?

An estimated 11 thousand people named Jamel are alive in the United States, based on 11,592 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Jamel in 2025?

Jamel ranked #2,779 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 46 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Jamel?

11,592 babies have been named Jamel in the United States since 1950, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Jamel most popular?

Jamel peaked in 1988, when 373 newborns received the name.

Is Jamel a boy or girl name?

Jamel is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 97% of babies with the name.

Is the name Jamel rising or falling?

Jamel is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Jamel become more popular?

Jamel is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 34 boys named Jamel in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Jamel?

Well-known people named Jamel include Jamel Debbouze (actor), Jamel Saihi (soccer player).

Names like Jamel

Names that sound and feel close to Jamel: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Jamel with similar names → More names starting with J →