girl's name
Amal
a-MAL
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 12,039
England and Wales
#177
2025 births
Amal is a name of Arabic origin meaning "hope" or "aspiration." It is used for girls in Arabic and, unusually, for boys in some traditions — and a separate Hebrew Amal means "labor."
- Amal is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in US records in 2021, when 247 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,895 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1962.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Amal over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1960s to 2020s. Amal is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 36 |
| 1970s | 177 |
| 1980s | 346 |
| 1990s | 609 |
| 2000s | 838 |
| 2010s | 1,209 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,298 |
What Amal means
Amal means hope, expectation or aspiration — what one looks forward to rather than optimism as a temperament. The Hebrew word of the same spelling means toil or labor, and is unrelated.
Where Amal comes from
Amal comes from the Arabic ʾamal, hope or expectation, from a root concerning looking ahead. It is predominantly female in Arabic use, though the masculine ʿAmal, meaning work or deed, exists as a separate word and name. The Hebrew amal, labor or trouble, appears in Job and Ecclesiastes and is unconnected. Amal Clooney, the British-Lebanese barrister, has been the name's most visible bearer since 2014, and our records show a corresponding British rise from that point.
Amal in use
Our data shows Amal peaking in 2021 and still rising, at 177 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1962. Its recent climb dates neatly to 2014, which our year-by-year series makes visible — the same single-cause signature we see in Dua and Jenson.
How popular is Amal?
In 2025, Amal was given to 278 babies in England and Wales, ranking #177 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Amal is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Amal
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Amal also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Amal over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Amal
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Amal in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Amal
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Amal — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Amal
What does the name Amal mean?
Amal means "hope" or "aspiration," from the Arabic ʾamal.
Is Amal a boy's or a girl's name?
Predominantly female in Arabic use, though a separate masculine ʿAmal, meaning work, also exists.
Is the Hebrew Amal the same name?
No. The Hebrew amal means toil or labor and is unrelated despite the identical spelling.
How popular is the name Amal?
In 2025, Amal was given to 278 babies in England and Wales, ranking #177 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
How many syllables are in Amal?
Amal has 2 syllables.
When was Amal most popular?
Amal peaked in 2021, when 247 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Amal?
Amal is usually shortened to Ami.
Is Amal a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Amal currently ranks #177 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.