Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2023

Kemal

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #13,007

Kemal, also archaically spelt Kamâl, is a Turkish and Bosnian male given name of Arabic origin meaning integrity, perfection, maturity.

Rank 2025
#13,007
among boys · ↓2,583 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
5
named Kemal
How common
1 in 341,615
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2023
15 babies
All-time total
373
#9,410 all-time among boys
First recorded
1965
in Social Security records

Kemal popularity over time

373 babies have been named Kemal since 1965, 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
00.010.010.0118801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2023Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s 5 1 – #4,201
1970s 18 2 +260% #4,676
1980s 40 4 +122% #4,008
1990s 65 7 +63% #5,864
2000s 93 9 +43% #6,245
2010s 91 9 -2% #6,178
2020s (to 2025) 61 10 +12% #6,082

The story of Kemal

Kemal is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #13,007 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1965, 373 American babies have been named Kemal. Its peak came in 2023, when 15 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

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 Kemal stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Kemal?

The median living Kemal is about 18 years old; half are between 8 and 30. An estimated 400 people named Kemal are alive in the United States today.

median 18 020406080100

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

Kemal year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 5 #13,007
2024 7 #10,424
2023 15 #6,082
2022 13 #6,669
2021 12 #6,906
2020 9 #8,413
2019 14 #6,262
2018 14 #6,178
2017 9 #8,515
2016 8 #9,301
2015 9 #8,397
2014 11 #7,311
2013 6 #11,490
2012 6 #11,563
2011 9 #8,457
2010 5 #13,342
2009 9 #8,692
2008 12 #6,989
2007 11 #7,362
2006 11 #7,202
2005 8 #8,724
2004 7 #9,476
2003 7 #9,192
2002 8 #8,083
2001 11 #6,245
2000 9 #7,129
1995 6 #8,371
1990 7 #6,823
1985 6 #6,177
1980 5 #6,783
1975 6 #5,131
1970 – –
1965 5 #4,201
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Kemal

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

  1. 1 Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu Turkish politician (born 1948) Contemporary
  2. 2 Kemal Sunal Kemal Sunal Turkish actor and comedian (1944–2000) Contemporary
  3. 3 Kemal Monteno Kemal Monteno Bosnian singer-songwriter (1948–2015) Contemporary
  4. 4 Kemal Reis Ottoman privateer and admiral 1451–1511 · Medieval

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Kemal?

The median living Kemal is about 18 years old. Half of all living Kemals are between 8 and 30 years old.

How many people named Kemal are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Kemal are alive in the United States, based on 373 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Kemal mean?

Kemal, also archaically spelt Kamâl, is a Turkish and Bosnian male given name of Arabic origin meaning integrity, perfection, maturity.

How popular is the name Kemal in 2025?

Kemal ranked #13,007 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kemal?

373 babies have been named Kemal in the United States since 1965, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kemal most popular?

Kemal peaked in 2023, when 15 newborns received the name.

Is Kemal a boy or girl name?

Kemal is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Kemal rising or falling?

Kemal is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Kemal?

Well-known people named Kemal include Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (politician), Kemal Sunal (actor), Kemal Monteno (singer).

Names like Kemal

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

Compare Kemal with similar names → More names starting with K →