Jamella
Feminine name derived from the Arabic name Jamila meaning "beautiful".
Name Census estimates that about 440 living Americans carry the first name Jamella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jamella today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jamella births was 1988 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jamella. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
440
~ 1 in 778,987 Americans
Peak year
1988
21 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2022 SSA rank
#16,300
Tracked since 1963
Popularity
Jamella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jamella from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 145 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jamella by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Jamella during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jamellas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Jamella
The name Jamella is a variant of the Arabic name Jamila, which means "beautiful" or "lovely." It has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, and is believed to have originated in the Middle East during the Medieval period.
Jamella is a relatively rare name, and its earliest recorded use dates back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jamella al-Andalusiyya, a renowned Arabic poet and scholar who lived in Spain during the 13th century.
In the 15th century, Jamella al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi calligrapher and artist, gained recognition for her intricate and beautiful calligraphy work. Her works were highly sought after by the nobility and are still admired today for their exceptional craftsmanship.
Another notable figure in history was Jamella bint Abi al-Qasim, a 16th-century Moroccan scholar and writer who made significant contributions to the fields of literature and poetry. Her works were widely circulated and studied in the Arab world during her time.
In the 19th century, Jamella bint Ahmed al-Kabir, a Sudanese princess and philanthropist, was known for her charitable works and dedication to improving the lives of the underprivileged. She established several schools and hospitals, leaving a lasting impact on her community.
More recently, Jamella Haid, a Syrian-American author and activist born in 1959, has gained recognition for her writings on Middle Eastern culture, politics, and women's rights. Her books and advocacy work have shed light on important issues and given voice to marginalized communities.
While the name Jamella is not as common as its root name Jamila, it has a rich historical background and has been borne by notable figures across different fields and regions throughout history. The name's meaning and cultural significance have remained consistent, celebrating beauty and grace.
People
Jamella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jamella as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jamella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jamella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 440 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jamella going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 778,987 US residents.
Is Jamella a common name?
We classify Jamella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 463 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jamella most popular?
The single biggest year for Jamella was 1988, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jamella is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jamella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jamella in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.