Jamilee
A feminine name of uncertain origin possibly combining James and Lee.
Name Census estimates that about 222 living Americans carry the first name Jamilee. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jamilee today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jamilee births was 1985 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jamilee. 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
222
~ 1 in 1,543,938 Americans
Peak year
1985
16 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2012 SSA rank
#17,957
Tracked since 1977
Census
Jamilee in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 303 people with the first name Jamilee, which placed it at #29,290 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#29,290
National first-name rank
People counted
303
303 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
White
68.6% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jamilee
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Jamilee is White at 68.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (23.1%) and Black (4.0%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Jamilee described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Jamilee at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.6% · 208
- Hispanic or Latino23.1% · 70
- Black or African American4.0% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.0% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 5
- Two or more races0.7% · 2
Popularity
Jamilee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jamilee from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 93 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
Jamilee 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 Jamilee during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jamilees live
Origin
Meaning and history of Jamilee
The name Jamilee is a unique and intriguing one, with a history that spans across various cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to the Arabic language, where it is derived from the root word "jameel," which means "beautiful" or "handsome." This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have initially carried connotations of physical attractiveness or inner beauty.
In the Middle Eastern region, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the name Jamilee has been in use for centuries. It was often bestowed upon children as a reflection of their parents' hopes and aspirations for them to grow into individuals of exceptional character and grace. The name's association with beauty extended beyond mere physical appearance, encompassing qualities of kindness, compassion, and a pure heart.
While the name's roots lie in the Arabic language, it has also found its way into various other cultures and traditions. In certain parts of India, for instance, the name Jamilee has been adopted and adapted, taking on slightly different spellings and pronunciations. This cross-cultural diffusion highlights the name's ability to transcend borders and resonate with diverse communities.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jamilee. One such figure was Jamilee al-Khalili, a renowned 12th-century scholar and philosopher from Baghdad. Al-Khalili made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and theology, earning him a reputation as a leading intellectual of his time. His works and teachings continue to be studied and revered by scholars to this day.
Another historical figure bearing this name was Jamilee al-Sadiq, a 7th-century Islamic scholar and poet from Medina. Al-Sadiq's poetry was celebrated for its depth of emotion and spiritual insights, earning her a place among the most influential literary figures of her era. Her works were widely circulated and continue to inspire poets and writers across the Middle East.
In the realm of art and culture, Jamilee al-Misri was a renowned Egyptian painter and sculptor of the 19th century. Her exceptional talent and unique style earned her recognition both within her homeland and abroad. Al-Misri's works are celebrated for their ability to capture the essence of Egyptian life and traditions, making her a significant contributor to the preservation of her country's cultural heritage.
Moving further back in time, the name Jamilee can be found in ancient Persian texts and records. One such reference is to Jamilee Khatun, a 13th-century Persian princess renowned for her wisdom, intelligence, and patronage of the arts and sciences. Khatun's legacy as a powerful and influential figure in her era has been documented in various historical accounts and literary works.
It is worth noting that while the name Jamilee has deep roots in Arabic, Persian, and Middle Eastern cultures, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in recent decades. However, it is the rich tapestry of its historical and cultural significance that truly sets this name apart, making it a unique and captivating choice for parents seeking a name with a profound and meaningful heritage.
People
Jamilee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jamilee 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
Jamilee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jamilee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 222 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jamilee 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 1,543,938 US residents.
Is Jamilee a common name?
We classify Jamilee as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 231 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jamilee most popular?
The single biggest year for Jamilee was 1985, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jamilee is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Jamilee in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 303 people with the name Jamilee, or 0.10 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #29,290 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Jamilee in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Jamilee?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Jamilee leans strongly female. 295 people counted with this name were female (96.7%), compared with 10 male bearers (3.3%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Jamilee?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Jamilee is White at 68.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (23.1%) and Black (4.0%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Jamilee most often in the Census?
White is the largest reported group for people named Jamilee in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.6% (208 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Jamilee in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jamilee a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jamilee 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.
Is Jamilee still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jamilee in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Jamilee can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
How many people are named Jamilee?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Jamilee at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.