Given name
Jerel
“one who rules with the spear”
Jerel is a variant of Jarrell. One English interpretation is “one who rules with the spear.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Jerel is a variant of Jarrell. One English interpretation is “one who rules with the spear.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Jerel is a variant of Jarrell. An origin associated with Jarrell is English.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1937. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Jerel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,617
- 3,612 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 1989
- 166 babies
- 2025
- 9
- #8,545 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −42%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 9 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 8,545 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 166 in 1989. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,754 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Jerel
- Jerel BlassingameAmerican basketball player (born 1981)
- Jerel McNealAmerican basketball player (born 1987)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Jerel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Jaleel
“a majestic man”
>99% boys
Terrell
“one who is stubborn” · “a powerful man”
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Darell
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Marcell
“the little warrior”
>99% boys
Tyrell
“one who is stubborn” · “a powerful man”
>99% boys
Mikel
“who is like God?”
99% boys · 1% girls
Mykel
“who is like God?”
94% boys · 6% girls
Jamar
“a handsome man”
>99% boys