Jamila (Arabic: جميلة) is a feminine given name of Arabic origin. It is the feminine form of the masculine Arabic given name Jamil, which comes from the Arabic word jamāl (Arabic: جَمَال), meaning beautiful.^[1] The name is popular on a global scale, in regular use by both Arabic speaking and non–Arabic speaking populations and holds religious significance for some Muslims. Due to differences in transcription, there are several variations on how to spell the name.

Popularity

According to the Social Security Administration, the name Jamila was among the 1,000 most popular names for baby girls in the United States from 1974 until 1995, with the exception of the year 1985.^[2][3] Its popularity peaked in 1977, when it was the 486th most popular name for baby girls.

Variations

• Cemile (Turkish)
• Cəmilə (Azerbaijani)
• Djamila, Djemila (Algerian Arabic: جميلة)
• Džemila (Bosnian)
• Dzhamilja (Russian: Джамиля)
• Gamila (Egyptian Arabic: جميلة)
• Giamila (Italian)
• Jameela, Jameelah, Jamie Jamila, Jamilla, Jamillah, Jemila, Jemilah, Jemilla, Jemillah, Jemileh, Jemilleh, Mila, Milla, Millie, Milly (English)
• Jamira (Japanese: ジェミラ), Jamīra (Japanese: ジェミーラ)
• Jamila, Jamileth, Jamilex, Jamillette, Yamila, Yamile, Yamilé, Yamilet, Yamileth, Yamilex (Spanish)
• Qamile, Xhemile (Albanian)

People

Sports

• Cemile Timur (b. 1988), Turkish former football player, referee and current team manager
• Djamila Rakhmatova (b. 1990), Uzbekistani rhythmic gymnast
• Jamila Wideman (b. 1975), American basketball player and daughter of John Edgar Wideman
• Yamila Badell (b. 1996), Uruguayan soccer player
• Yamila Hernández (b. 1992), Cuban volleyball player
• Yamila Nizetich (b. 1989), Argentina volleyball player
• Yamila Zambrano (b. 1986), Cuban judoka
• Yamile Fors Guerra (b. 1977), Cuban tennis player
• Yamilé Martínez (b. 1970), Cuban basketball player
• Yamilet Peña (b. 1992), Dominican artistic gymnast
• Jamila Jaxaliyeva (b. 1990), Kazakh golfer

Arts and entertainment

• Djemila Benhabib (b. 1972), Ukrainian-born Canadian journalist and writer
• Jameela Jamil (b. 1986), British television presenter and model
• Jamila Afghani (b. 1974), Afghan activist and feminist
• Jamila Cholimbo (b. 1982), American singer-songwriter better known as Mila J
• Jamila Gavin (b. 1941), Indian-born British writer and mother-in-law of Dido
• Jamila Massey (b. 1934), Indian-born British actress and writer
• Jamila Mohammed (b. 1972), Nigerian-born British singer-songwriter better known as Jamila Jemstone
• Jamila Mujahed, Afghan journalist
• Jamila Velazquez (b. 1995), American singer and actress
• Jamila Woods, American singer-songwriter and poet
• Jamilah Kolocotronis (née Linda Kolocotronis), American writer
• Jamilah Lemieux, American editor
• Jamilah Tangaza (b. 1971), Nigerian journalist
• Jamileh Sheykhi (1930-2001), Iranian actress and mother of Atila Pesyani
• Jamilah Sabur (b. 1987), Jamaican-born visual artist
• Jamillah Ross, Canadian comedian and singer-songwriter
• Jamillah Knowles, Australian journalist better known as Jemimah Knight
• Jamillette Gaxiola (b. 1989), Mexican beauty queen who represented Cuba in Miss Earth 2009
• Yamila Cafrune (b. 1965), Argentine folk singer
• Yamila Diaz-Rahi (b. 1976), Argentine model

Politics

• Cemile Giousouf (b. 1978), Turkish-German politician
• Jamila Gilani (b. 1960), Pakistani politician and leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement
• Djamila Bouhired (b. 1935), Algerian nationalist
• Jamila Abdallah Taha al-Shanti (1955–2023), Palestinian politician
• Jamila Madeira (b. 1975), Portuguese politician
• Jamilah Nasheed (née Jenise Williams, b. 1972), American politician
• Jamila Schäfer (b. 1993), German politician

Religion

• Jamila bint Thabit (née Asiya), companion of Muhammad and wife of Umar
• Jamilah bint Adwan, ancestor of Muhammad

Royalty and Nobility

• Cemile Sultan (1843-1915), Ottoman] princess and issue of Abdulmejid I
• Jamila "Sarah" Ashley-Cooper, Dowager Countess of Shaftesbury (née Jamila M'Barek, b. c. 1961), French murderer and widow of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 10th Earl of Shaftesbury

Places

• Djémila, a city in Algeria, formerly known as Cuicul.

Fictional characters

• Jameela, a character in the Geo Entertainment comedic drama Yeh Zindagi Hai.
• Jamila, a fashion doll marketed to children in the Middle East, similar to Barbie and Fulla.
• Jamila Inzamam, a character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sara Aisha Kent.
• Jamilah Malik, a character in the BBC Scotland soap opera River City, played by Laxmi Kathuria.
• Jemilla, a character in the musical Firebringer, portrayed by Meredith Stepien.

Films and television

• Jamila, the Algerian, a 1958 Egyptian film based on the life of Djamila Bouhired.