Jamelle
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beautiful girl".
Name Census estimates that about 1,117 living Americans carry the first name Jamelle. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 67.9% of registrations being male. The average person named Jamelle today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jamelle births was 1987 (108 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jamelle. 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.
Key insights
- • Jamelle was once a predominantly female name but has become increasingly popular for boys in recent decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 306,853 Americans
Peak year
1987
108 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,473
Tracked since 1948
Gender
Gender distribution for Jamelle
Jamelle is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 1,191 total registrations, 809 (67.9%) were male and 382 (32.1%) were female.
Jamelle as a male name
- Ranked #11,473 in 2024
- 6 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1988 (93 births)
Jamelle as a female name
- Ranked #12,373 in 1995
- 6 female births in 1995
- Peak: 1975 (20 births)
Popularity
Jamelle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jamelle from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 515 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
Jamelle 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 Jamelle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jamelles live
The SSA's state-level files cover 13 states and territories. California, Florida, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Jamelle, while Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jamelle
The name Jamelle is derived from the French language and has its roots in the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a diminutive form of the name Jacques, which in turn comes from the Latin name Jacobus, meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows."
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Jamelle can be traced back to the 13th century in France. During this time, it was not uncommon for names to be adapted and modified, leading to the creation of variant forms like Jamelle.
While the name Jamelle does not have any direct references in religious scriptures or ancient texts, it shares a connection with the biblical name Jacob through its Latin roots. This association may have contributed to its adoption and usage among Christian communities in medieval Europe.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jamelle. One such person was Jamelle Hayne (1564-1632), a French philosopher and writer who authored several works on ethics and morality during the Renaissance period.
Another prominent figure was Jamelle Dubois (1789-1867), a French painter known for his landscapes and portraits. His works were widely exhibited and celebrated during the 19th century.
In the field of literature, Jamelle Verlaine (1844-1896) was a renowned French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. His works, such as "Poèmes saturniens" and "Fêtes galantes," have had a lasting influence on modern poetry.
Moving into the 20th century, Jamelle Mercier (1901-1976) was a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Palais de la Découverte and the Église Saint-Christophe de Javel.
Lastly, Jamelle Durand (1920-1998) was a French resistance fighter during World War II. She played a crucial role in the Resistance movement and was awarded the Croix de Guerre for her bravery and service.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Jamelle, reflecting its enduring presence and significance across various fields and eras.
People
Jamelle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jamelle 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
Jamelle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jamelle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,117 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jamelle 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 306,853 US residents.
Is Jamelle a common name?
We classify Jamelle as "Rare". It ranks above 90.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,191 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jamelle most popular?
The single biggest year for Jamelle was 1987, when 108 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jamelle is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jamelle a male name?
Yes, 67.9% of people registered as Jamelle in the SSA data are male. 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.