Kemal is an elegant and distinctive male given name of Turkish origin, deriving from the Arabic word 'kemāl', which means 'perfection' or 'excellence'. It was popularized by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of modern Turkey, who took it as his surname to symbolize his commitment to perfection in national service. The name Kemal is composed of three letters: 'kāf' (ك), 'mīm' (م), and 'ālif' (أ). It is pronounced /keˈmɑl/, with stress on the second syllable. In Turkish culture, Kemal is often associated with strength, determination, and patriotism due to its historic significance.
The name Kemal experienced fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a notable spike in recent times. From 1965 to 1998, the number of births with this name ranged between 5 and 11 per year. However, since 2014, there has been a consistent increase, reaching a peak of 15 births in 2023. Overall, Kemal has seen 361 babies named after it from 1965 to 2023.