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.
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
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.
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
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
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.