Boy · #12,153 in 2026

Damel

Damel was the title of the ruler of the Wolof kingdom of Cayor in what is now northwest Senegal, West Africa.

Current Rank
#12,153
Peak Rank
#6,042 (1999)
Total Babies
69
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1982
First Year
2018
Last Year
1999
Peak Year
#6042
Peak Rank
69
Total Count
11
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Damel

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Damel was the title of the ruler of the Wolof kingdom of Cayor in what is now northwest Senegal, West Africa.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
The Damel began as the Great Lamane of Cayor, traditionally elected by the other Lamanes from the Fall family of Palene Ded, who claimed descend from Ousmane Boune Afal, a companion of Mohammed, by means of Wagadou . Lat Jor was the only Damel elected who was not part of the Fall paternal line. The term "Damel" may derive from "breaker", coming from the Wolof verb "damma" meaning "to break," referring to the breaking of their vassalage to the Jolof Empire at the 1549 battle of Danki . Alvise Cadamosto , however, recorded the use of the title "Damel" for the ruler of Cayor much earlier, in the

The Story of Damel

Damel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1982, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1999, when 10 Damels were born — ranking #6,042 that year. As of 2026, Damel ranks #12,153 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 69 Damels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Damel

Phonetically similar names — useful when Damel is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Damel

What does the name Damel mean?
Damel was the title of the ruler of the Wolof kingdom of Cayor in what is now northwest Senegal, West Africa.
How popular is Damel in 2026?
In 2026, Damel ranks #12,153 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Damel most popular?
Damel reached its peak popularity in 1999, ranking #6,042 that year with 10 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Damel most popular?
Damel has historically been most popular in New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Damel.
Is Damel a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Damel is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Damel?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Damel include Karnell, Michaela, Lamarco. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Karnell
Peak #6042
👦
Michaela
Peak #6042
👦
Lamarco
Peak #6042
👦
Tiras
Peak #6042
👦
Ji
Peak #6042
👦
Rajat
Peak #6042
👦
Nickholas
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👦
Joshuajames
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About the name Damel

Damel is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1982 and has accumulated 69 births in the dataset. Damel's peak popularity came in 1999 when it ranked #6,042. Use the chart and map above to compare Damel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.