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Home › Baby Names Directory › Ishmael

Ishmael

♂ Boy

Pronounced ISH-may-uhl /ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əl/Medium

Meaning: From Hebrew Yishmael, from shama "to hear" and el "God," meaning "God will hear"; in the Bible the son of Abraham and Hagar, and narrator of Melville's Moby-Dick.Medium

In 30 seconds: Ishmael comes from the Hebrew Yishmael, from 'shama' ('to hear') and 'el' ('God'), meaning 'God will hear'.
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Origin MediumHebrew, Biblical
MeaningFrom Hebrew Yishmael, from shama "to hear" and el "God," meaning "God will hear"; in the Bible the son of Abraham and Hagar, and narrator of Melville's Moby-Dick.
U.S. rank (2025)#1469 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births121 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 6,792

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201718802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

The name joins the Hebrew 'shama', 'to hear', with 'el', 'God', giving 'God will hear'. In the Bible Ishmael is the son of Abraham and Hagar, and many readers also know it as the opening narrator's name in Melville's Moby-Dick. The Arabic form Ismail is widespread across the Muslim world.

Spellings range from Ismail and Esmail to Ismaeel and Isma'il, reflecting how the same name moved across Hebrew, Arabic, and English. A notable bearer is Ishmael Reed, the American novelist and poet known for satirical works like Mumbo Jumbo.

Did you know? Ishmael appears in the Old Testament, which helped preserve it across centuries of Jewish and Christian naming traditions.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Ishmael — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

IsmailEsmailIsmaeelIsma'ilIsmaïl

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Ishmael Reed (born 1938)
    American novelist, poet, and essayist known for satirical works such as Mumbo Jumbo. He is a major figure in late-20th-century African American literature.

If you like Ishmael…

Ismail— the Arabic form of the same biblical name
Gadiel— echoes that soft -el sound
Jahziel— the same biblical feel
Adiel— lands in the same popularity range
Osiel— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Ishmael

By themehebrewbiblical
By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ishmael mean?

Ishmael is usually explained as meaning 'God will hear' and is most often linked with Hebrew tradition.

How do you pronounce Ishmael?

It's commonly said ISH-may-uhl /ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əl/.

Is Ishmael a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Ishmael is used as a boy name.

How popular is Ishmael?

In 2024, Ishmael ranked #1498 in the U.S. for boys, with 119 births recorded.

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