Total births
8,542
Boys' name · since 1970
Jamaal
8,542 babies named Jamaal in U.S. Social Security records since 1970, with the highest year being 1982. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #3417
- among boys today
- 8,542
- born since 1970
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 76%
- more common than other boys
8,542 babies have been named Jamaal since 1970, making it today's #3417 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Jamaal recorded 8,542 times among boys since 1970, holding rank #3417 nationally today, ahead of 76% of boys, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1970 to 2025.
- #3417 among boys today
- 8,542 born since 1970
- 1980s peak decade
- 76% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Jamaal is currently the #3417 boys' name in America, more common than 76% of boys - 8,542 born since 1970, peaking in the 1980s.
- #3417
- among boys today
- 8,542
- born since 1970
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 76%
- more common than other boys
Jamaal vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3417
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 76% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
46% of everyone ever named Jamaal was born in this single decade.
1982
Single peak year
715 babies were named Jamaal in 1982 - its busiest year on record.
How Jamaal compares
8,542 Top 9% higher than 91% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Jamaal's all-time total is 23x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Jamaal | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 8,542 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 715 | 23 | 22,252 |
Jamaal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Jamaal's SSA record in two at 1998 and the more recent half accounts for 26% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 74%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1972, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1982 peak of 715, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Jamaal at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1982
Current rank
#3,417
Active since
1970
Jamaal popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1970–2025
- Peak year (1982)
- 715
- Annual births at peak, across 56 years of records
Jamaal popularity over time - girls
45 total births recorded since 1976 (Jamaal as girls' name)
Jamaal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Jamaal's strongest decade.
3,890 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Jamaal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 937
1970s
937 births
- 1980s
1980s
3,890 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,711 births
- 2000s 1,121
2000s
1,121 births
- 2010s 670
2010s
670 births
- 2020s 213
2020s
213 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 3,890 births (46% of all-time use).
How Jamaal compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Jamaal's total volume
Jamaal vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Jamaal by state
Where Jamaal concentrates geographically, total births since 1970
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 685 | 8.0% |
| #2 | California | | 676 | 7.9% |
| #3 | Florida | | 600 | 7.0% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 543 | 6.4% |
| #5 | Texas | | 458 | 5.4% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 397 | 4.6% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 322 | 3.8% |
| #8 | New Jersey | | 302 | 3.5% |
New York share of Jamaal's total US births 8.0%
Even split
685 of 8,542 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 31 reporting states.
Jamaal appears in 31 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Jamaal? ▼
8,542 babies have been named Jamaal since 1970. It currently ranks #3417 among boys. The peak year was 1982 with 715 births.
When was Jamaal most popular? ▼
Jamaal was most popular in the 1980s decade with 3,890 total births. The single peak year was 1982.
Where is Jamaal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Jamaal are New York (685 births), California (676 births), Florida (600 births).
How long has the name Jamaal been used? ▼
Records for Jamaal go back to 1970, giving 56 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Jamaal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include James, Jamie, Jameson, Jamal, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Jamaal's data
- Jamaal's decade-level peak was the 1980s (3,890 total births); usage has since declined to 213 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Jamaals (685 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Jamaal
Nearby Names Like Jamaal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Jamaal
James Boy
#5 5,250,638 births
Jamie Boy
#622 88,654 births
Jameson Boy
#118 61,883 births
Jamal Boy
#1182 33,235 births
Jamison Boy
#759 20,796 births
Compare Jamaal side by side: Jamaal vs James Jamaal vs Jamie Jamaal vs Jameson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Jamaal
Jevon #3416
4,971 births · Peak 2000
Eoin #3418
1,604 births · Peak 2020
Karlo #3415
1,061 births · Peak 2010
Marshawn #3419
2,674 births · Peak 2015
Nikita #3414
2,890 births · Peak 2008
Tyshawn #3420
5,266 births · Peak 2008
Nasser #3413
1,324 births · Peak 2014
Giuliano #3421
948 births · Peak 2025
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1970–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Jamaal: #3417 Boys' Name - 8,542 Births, Peak 1982." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/jamaal. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Jamaal draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.