NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Amal

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "hope" or "aspiration.".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Amal is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Amal popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #208, with 232 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 232 births.

This profile covers 2,181 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Amal is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 2,260 living people in the UK are called Amal. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Amal ranked #208 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 232 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 232 girls were registered as Amal.
  • Amal ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #215 in 2024.
  • About 2,260 living people in the UK are estimated to have Amal as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 95.8% of Amal registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#208

2024

Births in 2024

232

Latest year

Peak year

2024

232 births

Estimated living

2,260

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Amal

In England and Wales birth records, Amal has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 4.2% of registrations are for boys and 95.8% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

96% girls
Boys95 (4.2%)Girls2,181 (95.8%)

Amal registered for boys

  • Ranked #3,848 in 2020
  • 4 boys registered in 2020
  • Peak: 2006 (8 births)

Amal registered for girls

  • Ranked #208 in 2024
  • 232 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2024 (232 births)

Meaning

What does Amal mean?

The name Amal has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, with a history dating back to ancient times. Derived from the Arabic word 'amal,' meaning 'hope' or 'aspiration,' the name carries a profound significance in the Islamic faith and tradition.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Amal can be found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. In Surah Al-Ra'd (Chapter 13, Verse 12), the word 'amal' is used to symbolize the hope and faith that believers place in Allah.

Throughout the centuries, the name Amal has been borne by several notable historical figures. One of the earliest examples is Amal al-Ahwazi, a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 8th century CE. His contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy were significant, and he is remembered for his work on the development of algebraic concepts.

Another prominent figure with the name Amal was Amal al-Din al-Kazruni, a 13th-century Persian poet and philosopher. His poetry, infused with Sufi mysticism, explored the themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition. His works, such as the Diwan, have been celebrated for their literary excellence and philosophical depth.

In more recent history, Amal Clooney (née Alamuddin), a Lebanese-British human rights lawyer and activist, has gained global recognition. Born in 1978, she has been a vocal advocate for human rights and has represented several high-profile cases before various international courts and tribunals.

Amal Jalal Uddin, a renowned Bangladeshi artist and painter, also bore the name Amal. Born in 1935, he was celebrated for his vibrant and expressive works that captured the essence of rural life and the struggles of the common people. His paintings have been exhibited worldwide and are considered a significant contribution to the art scene in Bangladesh.

Another notable figure with the name Amal is Amal Alamuddin Basha, a Palestinian-Lebanese writer and journalist. Born in 1942, she has been a prominent voice for Palestinian rights and has authored several books and articles on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, shedding light on the experiences and struggles of her people.

The name Amal has transcended cultural and geographic boundaries, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and walks of life. While its origins can be traced back to the Arabic language and Islamic tradition, the name has acquired a universal appeal, symbolizing hope, aspiration, and the human spirit's resilience.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Amal over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Amal in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Amal, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 232 births in 2024, compared with 232 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
058116174232199620102024

Decades

Amal by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Amal was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #251 947 5
2010s #720 655 10
2000s #685 452 10
1990s #761 127 4

Geography

Where Amal is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Amal. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Amal ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #215 in 2024.

Scotland
17
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Amal in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#215 in 2024

12 years of NRS records, 87 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#446 in 2021

1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Amal

  • Amal Azzudin

    activist

    Egyptian-born Scottish activist

    1990-

  • Amal Fashanu

    filmmaker; journalist; fashion designer

    British journalist and activist

    1988-

  • Amal Clooney

    writer; jurist; lawyer; prosecutor; barrister; human rights defender; public prosecutor general

    Lebanese-British-French barrister and human right activist

    1978-

Related

Names similar to Amal

FAQ

Amal: questions and answers

How popular is the name Amal in the UK right now?

In 2024, Amal was ranked #208 for girls in England and Wales, with 232 births registered.

When was Amal most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 232 babies registered as Amal in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Amal?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "hope" or "aspiration.".

How many people are called Amal in the UK?

A total of 2,181 babies have been registered as Amal across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 87 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Amal most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Amal ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #215 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.