NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Jamilah

A feminine Arabic name meaning "beautiful" or "elegant".

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.

Jamilah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Jamilah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2771, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 16 births.

This profile covers 193 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 56% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 192 living people in the UK are called Jamilah. 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

  • Jamilah ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2002, when 16 girls were registered as Jamilah.
  • About 192 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jamilah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2771

2024

Births in 2024

9

Latest year

Peak year

2002

16 births

Estimated living

192

2026

Meaning

What does Jamilah mean?

The name Jamilah originates from Arabic and has its roots in the word "jameel," meaning beautiful or lovely. It is a feminine name that has been popular in the Arab world and among Muslim communities for centuries.

The earliest recorded use of the name Jamilah dates back to the 7th century AD, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age. It was a common name among Arab women at that time, reflecting the cultural importance placed on beauty and grace.

In Islamic tradition, Jamilah is mentioned as one of the names of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad, though the historical records are not entirely clear on this matter. Regardless, the name has been associated with Islamic culture and religion throughout history.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Jamilah was Jamilah bint Abi Sufyan, a 7th-century Arab woman who was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a member of the Umayyad dynasty. She played a significant role in the early Islamic community.

Another notable figure was Jamilah al-Buhturiyyah, a 9th-century Arab poet and writer from Baghdad. She was renowned for her literary talents and her contributions to the cultural and intellectual life of the Abbasid Caliphate.

In the 12th century, Jamilah al-Baghdadiyah was a prominent Islamic scholar and jurist from Baghdad. She was known for her expertise in Islamic law and her teachings on various aspects of Islamic jurisprudence.

During the Ottoman Empire, Jamilah Sultan was a 16th-century Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Selim II. She was known for her philanthropic efforts and her patronage of the arts and architecture.

In more recent history, Jamilah Shakir was a 20th-century American civil rights activist and writer. She was born in 1920 and played a significant role in the African-American civil rights movement, advocating for racial equality and social justice.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Jamilah, reflecting its enduring popularity and cultural significance across different regions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Jamilah over time

The chart below shows babies named Jamilah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Jamilah, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 16 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Jamilah
0481216199620102024

Decades

Jamilah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jamilah 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 #4709 15 3
2010s #4604 37 8
2000s #2112 111 10
1990s #2365 30 4

Related

Names similar to Jamilah

FAQ

Jamilah: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Jamilah was ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.

When was Jamilah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2002, with 16 babies registered as Jamilah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Jamilah?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "beautiful" or "elegant".

How many people are called Jamilah in the UK?

A total of 193 babies have been registered as Jamilah across the 25 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.