UK girl's name
Jamela
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beautiful".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2010. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jamela is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Jamela popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2010 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5707, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 3 births.
This profile covers 12 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1999 to 2010. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 12 living people in the UK are called Jamela. 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 2011 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jamela ranked #5707 for girls in England and Wales in 2010, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 3 girls were registered as Jamela.
- • About 12 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jamela as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5707
2010
Births in 2010
3
Latest year
Peak year
1999
3 births
Estimated living
12
2026
Meaning
What does Jamela mean?
The name Jamela is of Arabic origin and is believed to have emerged during the 7th century CE, around the time of the rise of Islam in the Middle East. It is derived from the Arabic word "jamal," which means beauty, grace, or elegance.
In its earliest form, the name was likely spelled as "Jamila" or "Jameela," with variations in the vowel sounds. The root word "jamal" is found in several verses of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, where it is used to describe the beauty of nature and the divine creations.
One of the earliest known references to the name Jamela comes from the writings of the famous Arab poet and scholar Al-Mutanabbi, who lived in the 10th century CE. In his poetry, he mentioned a woman named Jamila, praising her beauty and grace.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Jamela. One of the earliest recorded examples is Jamela al-Andalusiya (born around 1025 CE), a renowned female poet and scholar from the Andalusian region of modern-day Spain during the golden age of Islamic civilization.
Another notable Jamela was Jamela bint al-Mahdawi (1156-1242 CE), a Persian mystic and Sufi poet from Nishapur, Iran. Her poetry explored themes of divine love and spiritual growth.
In the 19th century, Jamela Bouhired (1835-1888) was an Algerian revolutionary and activist who played a significant role in the struggle for independence from French colonial rule.
More recently, Jamela Delibi (1908-1992) was a prominent Turkish author and feminist, known for her novels and short stories that explored the lives of women in traditional Turkish society.
Jamela Ismail (born 1939) is a Sudanese writer, academic, and politician who has served as a minister in the Sudanese government and has written extensively on issues of gender, culture, and development in Africa.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Jamela, a name that has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, and has been associated with beauty, grace, and literary and intellectual pursuits.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jamela over time
The chart below shows babies named Jamela registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2010. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jamela, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2010, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jamela by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jamela 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5707 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #4900 | 6 | 2 |
| 1990s | #3900 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Jamela
- Jessica 105,041
- Jasmine 35,227
- Jade 19,646
- Julia 11,780
- Jennifer 11,529
- Jodie 9,357
- Jemima 6,454
- Josephine 5,889
- Jessie 5,418
- Josie 5,284
- Jasmin 4,706
- Jenna 4,646
FAQ
Jamela: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jamela in the UK right now?
In 2010, Jamela was ranked #5707 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Jamela most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 3 babies registered as Jamela in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jamela?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beautiful".
How many people are called Jamela in the UK?
A total of 12 babies have been registered as Jamela across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.