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Name Lineage

    The first name Ismail

    A boy’s name from Arabic.

    2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Arabic origin

    From Arabic إِسْمَاعِيل (ʔismāʕīl). Doublet of Ishmael.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 200 boys were named Ismail, making it the 243rd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2008, with 205 births (#225).

    0150300 1996200020052010201520202025
    4,778
    babies named Ismail, 1996–2025
    #243
    rank in 2025
    2008
    peak year

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

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Ismail at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 204 boys born in the United States were named Ismail, the 1,065th most popular boys’ name that year.

    0150300 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    4,022
    babies named Ismail since 1880
    #1,065
    rank in 2025
    2025
    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.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Ismail

    Famous people named Ismail

    48 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Ismail Kadare
      Albanian writer (1936–2024)
    • Ismail I
      Founder and first shah of Safavid Iran, 1487–1524
    • Ismail Gaspıralı
      Crimean Tatar intellectual and politician (1851-1914)
    • Ismail
      Abraham's first son, who was to be offered as a sacrifice; later, an ancestor to Muhammad, -1799–-1800
    • Ismail Samani
      Amir of the Samanid Empire from 892 to 907
    • Ismaïl Aissati
      Dutch-Moroccan footballer (born 1988)
    • Ismail Khan
      Afghan politician, born 1946
    • Ismail Nasiruddin Shah of Terengganu
      4th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1907–1979
    • Ismail Elfath
      American soccer referee, born 1982
    • Ismail Abdul-Latif
      Bahraini footballer, born 1986
    • Ismail Matar
      Emirati footballer, born 1983
    • Ismail Al Hammadi
      Emirati footballer, born 1988

    More Arabic boys’ names

    All 218 names of Arabic origin

    Questions

    What does the name Ismail mean?
    From Arabic إِسْمَاعِيل (ʔismāʕīl). Doublet of Ishmael.
    What is the origin of the name Ismail?
    From Arabic إِسْمَاعِيل (ʔismāʕīl). Doublet of Ishmael.
    How popular is the name Ismail?
    In 2025, 200 boys born in England and Wales were named Ismail, ranking 243rd. Its peak was 2008, with 205 births.
    What are nicknames for Ismail?
    Common nicknames for Ismail include Izzy.
    Is Ismail a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 4,022 US babies named Ismail since 1880 were boys.
    When was Ismail most popular?
    2025 in the United States, when 204 babies were named Ismail, its highest rank at 1,065th.
    Is Ismail also a surname?
    Yes. Ismail is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.