jamal

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Origin, Meaning and History of Jamal

Jamal is a masculine name with Arabic roots that is also used as a surname in some nations. The name is believed to have originated from the Arabic term jamāl, which means ‘handsome,’ ‘beautiful,’ or ‘graceful.’

The name is commonly used in the Muslim community. Still, it can also be found in regions such as East and West Africa, Central and South Asia, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and the Balkans. Turkish or African American parents in the United States also choose this name for their children.

Jamal is usually pronounced as ‘ja-MAL’ in Arabic and ‘jə-MAHL’ in English. However, its spelling and pronunciation can vary depending on the country and culture. In Tunisia and Somalia, the name is spelled as Jamel or Jamaal and is transliterated as Gamal in Egypt. Jamal is spelled Djamel in Algeria and Cemal in Turkey. In Albanian, the name is Xhemal, and Džemal or Ćemo in Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia.

Jamal can also be found under the compound name Jamāl ud-Dīn which translates to ‘beauty of religion.’ Some adorable nicknames that the bearer of this can have include JJ, Jammy, or Jay.

In fiction, Jamal gained popularity in the early 21st century due to its association with several films. Jamal Malik, portrayed by Dev Patel, is the lead character in the highly acclaimed movie Slumdog Millionaire.

Jamal Joseph Lyon is the name of the lead character in the American musical drama Empire. In the children’s mystery series Ghostwriter, Jamal Jenkins is one of the primary characters, while Jamal Abdul Grant is the name of a character in the American sitcom City Guys. Finally, Jamal Wallace was a prominent character in the American drama film Finding Forrester. In the movie, Jamal’s character symbolizes the youth’s potential to overcome personal and social obstacles in life.

Jamal

heart image
Handsome; Beautiful; Graceful
Boy
Islam
Arabic
1
Two
1 word, 5 letters, 2 vowels, 3 consonants
Short and easy to pronounce

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How To Pronounce Jamal?

Pronounced as ja-mal

The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.

Listen to the sound of the name Jamal in Arabic.

Phonemic Representation Of Jamal

Phonemics is the study of a language’s distinctive sound units (phonemes), as standardized by the International Phonetics Association. When choosing a name for your baby, knowing its phonemic pronunciation gives an idea about the name’s sound pattern and auditory appeal. You can assess the name’s ease of pronunciation, memorability, and softness. Here is the phonemic transcription of Jamal in American and British accents.

  • In American English: /ʤəˈmɑːl/
  • In British English: /dʒəˈmɑːl/

Pronunciation of names, in fact, any spoken word, involves the participation of various parts of the mouth, vocal cord, nose, and lungs. Underneath all the sounds we make is the airstream flowing from the lungs and moving up to the mouth. It’s incredible how lips, tongue, teeth, alveolar ridge, palate, glottis, and larynx work harmoniously to bring out the words. Studies have proved that positive sounds like OM (AUM) help maintain hormonal balance and mental health and reduce stress and anxiety. So, what parts does Jamal trigger? Find the details here; the sound of Jamal might bring in more positive vibes into your life!

PhonemeArticulation
/ʤ/

Raising the front part of the tongue to the palate. Airflow stop closure releases with friction

/ə/

Tongue mid. Airflow is continuous

/m/

Bringing both lips together. Airflow stops for a fraction of a second

/ɑː/

Tongue low back, open mouth. Airflow is continuous

/l/

Raising the tongue tip while keeping the rest of the tongue down. Causes some obstruction of the airstream in the mouth

Notable People Named Jamal

This section covers people who have made the name Jamal famous with their contributions in various fields. It indeed is a little more inspiration for you to choose the name for your baby, don’t you think?

  • Jamal CrawfordProfessional basketball player
  • Jamal MurrayProfessional basketball player
  • Jamal WoolardActor, rapper and comedian
  • Jamal KhashoggiJournalist and author
  • Jamal MashburnProfessional basketball player
  • Ahmad JamalMusician
  • Jamal IdrisAustralian rugby league footballer, earned the Dally M Awards for the Rookie of the Year
  • Jamal Lee AdamsAmerican footballer, ranked 37th in the NFL Top 100 list in 2019
  • Jamal DajaniPalestinian-American journalist and producer, won several accolades, including the 64th Annual Peabody Award for excellence in radio and television broadcasting
  • Jamal GreeneAmerican legal scholar, one of the four co-chairs of the Facebook's Oversight Board
  • Jamal Mashburn Sr.American former basketball player, named SEC Player of the Year in 1993

Jamal In Fancy Fonts

Visualize your little one’s name in different captivating fonts. You can use these fancy styles on birth announcement cards, nursery decorations, personalized gifts, to name a few. Select the perfect font from these options for a touch of personalization.

  • Double Struck Font
    𝕁 𝕒 𝕞 𝕒 𝕝
  • Bold Script Font
    𝓙 𝓪 𝓶 𝓪 𝓵
  • Fancy Style 35 Font
    յ α m α レ
  • Fancy Style 7 Font
    Ĵ Δ Μ Δ Ł
  • Love Font
    J♥ a♥ m♥ a♥ l♥
  • Black Square Font
    🅹 🅰 🅼 🅰 🅻
  • Hand Writing 2 Font
    J α ɱ α ʅ
  • X Above Bellow Font
    J͓̽ a͓̽ m͓̽ a͓̽ l͓̽

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.
  1. Jamal
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal
  2. Astrology, Hermes (2023); Astrology for Beginners.
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370635414_Astrology_for_Beginners
  3. Shirley Lawrence; The Secret Science of Numerology: The Hidden Meaning of Numbers and Letters.
    https://www.academia.edu/97492675/The_Secret_Science_of_Numerology_The_Hidden_Meaning_of_Numbers_and_Letters_Shirley_Lawrence&nav_from=a3c5c3fd-555f-4584-b66d-4a3c8023402e&rw_pos=0
  4. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia; “zodiac”; Encyclopedia Britannica.
    https://www.britannica.com/topic/zodiac
  5. P.V.R. Narasimha Rao; Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Approach.
    https://www.vedicastrologer.org/articles/vedic_astro_textbook.pdf
  6. Paulo Martins; A Concise History of Hindu Astrology and Indian Spirituality; Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
    https://www.saspublishers.com/media/articles/SJAHSS_112_33-36_FT_MAEgJAB.pdf
  7. Islamic Foundation of Ireland; Male Muslim Names.
    https://islamicfoundation.ie/site/assets/files/1086/male_muslim_names.pdf
  8. International Phonetic Association.
    https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/
  9. Adam Szczegielniak; Phonetics: The Sounds of Language; Harvard University.
    https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/adam/files/phonetics.ppt.pdf
  10. Lalita K. Wani et al; Review of Scientific Analysis Of Sacred Sound OM (AUM); Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR), Novermber 2020.
    https://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2011207.pdf
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