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    The first name Ishmael

    A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “god hears”, “god will hear”.

    Pronounced /ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əl/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Hebrew origin

    Ishmael means “god hears”, “god will hear” in Hebrew.

    From Hebrew יִשְׁמָעֵאל (yishma'él (yišmāʿēl), “God hears, God will hear”). Doublet of Ismail.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 6 boys were named Ishmael, making it the 3,256th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2010, with 30 births (#942).

    01530 1996200020052010201520202025
    454
    babies named Ishmael, 1996–2025
    #3,256
    rank in 2025
    2010
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ishmael with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Ishmael at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 121 boys born in the United States were named Ishmael, the 1,469th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2017, when 158 were.

    0100200 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    6,794
    babies named Ishmael since 1880
    #1,469
    rank in 2025
    2017
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Ishmael in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    伊什梅爾 /伊什梅尔
    Yīshíméi'ěr
    Chinese, also 伊斯梅爾 /伊斯梅尔
    Ismo
    Finnish
    इश्मेयल
    iśmeyal
    Hindi
    Izmael
    Hungarian
    Ismael
    Portuguese
    Измаи́л
    Izmaíl
    Russian, also Исмаи́л
    Ismael
    Spanish
    İsmail
    Turkish

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Ishmael

    • Ish

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Ishmael

    7 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Ishmael Reed
      American poet, novelist, essayist, songwriter, playwright, editor and publisher (born 1938
    • Ishmael Miller
      English association football player (born 1987)
    • Ishmael Toroama
      Bougainvillean politician, born 1969
    • Omarion
      American R&B singer, born 1984
    • Ish Smith
      American basketball player, born 1988
    • Lil Tracy
      American rapper, singer, and songwriter, born 1995
    • Wadada Leo Smith
      American jazz trumpeter and composer, born 1941

    More Hebrew boys’ names

    All 346 names of Hebrew origin

    Questions

    What does the name Ishmael mean?
    Ishmael means “god hears”, “god will hear” in Hebrew.
    What is the origin of the name Ishmael?
    From Hebrew יִשְׁמָעֵאל (yishma'él (yišmāʿēl), “God hears, God will hear”). Doublet of Ismail.
    How popular is the name Ishmael?
    In 2025, 6 boys born in England and Wales were named Ishmael, ranking 3,256th. Its peak was 2010, with 30 births.
    What are nicknames for Ishmael?
    Common nicknames for Ishmael include Ish.
    Is Ishmael a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 6,794 US babies named Ishmael since 1880 were boys.
    When was Ishmael most popular?
    2017 in the United States, when 158 babies were named Ishmael, its highest rank at 1,184th.
    How do you pronounce Ishmael?
    Ishmael is /ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əl/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Ishmael?
    Ismahel and Ismael.
    Is Ishmael also a surname?
    Yes. Ishmael is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.