Ishmael
Boy · ISH-may-el · Hebrew
Ishmael is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “God hears”. In 2025 it ranked 3,329th for boys in the UK (6 babies) and 1,466th for boys in the US (121 babies).
What does Ishmael mean?
Hebrew
“God hears”
'Call me Ishmael' is the famous opening line of Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick.
- Say it
- ISH-may-el
More on Wiktionary.
Is Ishmael a girl's or a boy's name?
Ishmael is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 6 boys in the UK and 121 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.
How popular is Ishmael in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #3,329among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 6about 1 in 50,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 21% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 6 boys in the UK were named Ishmael, making it the 3,329th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,733rd. Its busiest year was 2010, with 30 boys.
2025 had the fewest boys named Ishmael since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the boys named Ishmael in the UK since 1996 were born between 2003 and 2016. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 3,239th in England and Wales.
Ishmael in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | #3,329 |
| 2024 | 10 | #2,328 |
| 2023 | 14 | #1,812 |
| 2022 | 12 | #1,999 |
| 2021 | 13 | #1,876 |
| 2020 | 14 | #1,733 |
| 2019 | 12 | #1,974 |
| 2018 | 12 | #1,981 |
| 2017 | 21 | #1,331 |
| 2016 | 16 | #1,655 |
| 2015 | 18 | #1,476 |
| 2014 | 12 | #1,929 |
| 2013 | 18 | #1,445 |
| 2012 | 21 | #1,313 |
| 2011 | 20 | #1,338 |
| 2010 | 30 | #1,019 |
| 2009 | 12 | #1,852 |
| 2008 | 21 | #1,249 |
| 2007 | 11 | #1,848 |
| 2006 | 13 | #1,558 |
| 2005 | 14 | #1,445 |
| 2004 | 22 | #1,010 |
| 2003 | 9 | #1,723 |
| 2002 | 16 | #1,109 |
| 2001 | 14 | #1,149 |
| 2000 | 11 | #1,308 |
| 1999 | 15 | #1,043 |
| 1998 | 13 | #1,112 |
| 1997 | 19 | #864 |
| 1996 | 21 | #768 |
How popular is Ishmael in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #1,466among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 121about 1 in 14,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 15% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 121 boys in the US were named Ishmael, making it the 1,466th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,271st. Its busiest year was 2017, with 158 boys.
Half of all the boys named Ishmael in the US since 1880 were born between 1979 and 2013, the years shaded on the chart below.
Ishmael in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 121 | #1,466 |
| 2024 | 121 | #1,487 |
| 2023 | 120 | #1,489 |
| 2022 | 97 | #1,731 |
| 2021 | 143 | #1,307 |
| 2020 | 144 | #1,271 |
| 2019 | 143 | #1,296 |
| 2018 | 139 | #1,305 |
| 2017 | 158 | #1,182 |
| 2016 | 132 | #1,349 |
| 2015 | 150 | #1,223 |
| 2014 | 141 | #1,264 |
| 2013 | 121 | #1,387 |
| 2012 | 127 | #1,336 |
| 2011 | 133 | #1,285 |
| 2010 | 111 | #1,470 |
| 2009 | 117 | #1,433 |
| 2008 | 100 | #1,582 |
| 2007 | 116 | #1,405 |
| 2006 | 114 | #1,391 |
| 2005 | 124 | #1,260 |
| 2004 | 124 | #1,223 |
| 2003 | 106 | #1,309 |
| 2002 | 118 | #1,182 |
| 2001 | 142 | #1,034 |
| 2000 | 144 | #1,013 |
| 1999 | 134 | #1,030 |
| 1998 | 146 | #951 |
| 1997 | 152 | #902 |
| 1996 | 141 | #924 |
| 1995 | 126 | #984 |
| 1994 | 122 | #1,001 |
| 1993 | 117 | #1,011 |
| 1992 | 112 | #1,030 |
| 1991 | 97 | #1,107 |
| 1990 | 86 | #1,171 |
| 1989 | 58 | #1,428 |
| 1988 | 37 | #1,810 |
| 1987 | 44 | #1,585 |
| 1986 | 50 | #1,402 |
| 1985 | 59 | #1,241 |
| 1984 | 59 | #1,189 |
| 1983 | 60 | #1,166 |
| 1982 | 56 | #1,241 |
| 1981 | 60 | #1,188 |
| 1980 | 55 | #1,238 |
| 1979 | 57 | #1,206 |
| 1978 | 43 | #1,410 |
| 1977 | 47 | #1,312 |
| 1976 | 33 | #1,607 |
| 1975 | 42 | #1,345 |
| 1974 | 47 | #1,215 |
| 1973 | 33 | #1,485 |
| 1972 | 23 | #1,871 |
| 1971 | 29 | #1,636 |
| 1970 | 18 | #2,124 |
| 1969 | 19 | #1,913 |
| 1968 | 19 | #1,835 |
| 1967 | 14 | #2,138 |
| 1966 | 13 | #2,215 |
| 1965 | 12 | #2,364 |
| 1964 | 19 | #1,849 |
| 1963 | 14 | #2,199 |
| 1962 | 14 | #2,185 |
| 1961 | 22 | #1,730 |
| 1960 | 9 | #2,869 |
| 1959 | 17 | #1,973 |
| 1958 | 13 | #2,263 |
| 1957 | 15 | #2,092 |
| 1956 | 12 | #2,359 |
| 1955 | 15 | #2,047 |
| 1954 | 20 | #1,705 |
| 1953 | 14 | #2,098 |
| 1952 | 22 | #1,614 |
| 1951 | 14 | #2,054 |
| 1950 | 22 | #1,571 |
| 1949 | 20 | #1,666 |
| 1948 | 13 | #2,114 |
| 1947 | 13 | #2,168 |
| 1946 | 15 | #1,883 |
| 1945 | 12 | #2,008 |
| 1944 | 8 | #2,632 |
| 1943 | 17 | #1,763 |
| 1942 | 20 | #1,585 |
| 1941 | 10 | #2,333 |
| 1940 | 18 | #1,627 |
| 1939 | 17 | #1,636 |
| 1938 | 18 | #1,613 |
| 1937 | 22 | #1,444 |
| 1936 | 23 | #1,384 |
| 1935 | 22 | #1,453 |
| 1934 | 26 | #1,323 |
| 1933 | 24 | #1,361 |
| 1932 | 25 | #1,387 |
| 1931 | 20 | #1,589 |
| 1930 | 26 | #1,428 |
| 1929 | 20 | #1,672 |
| 1928 | 27 | #1,413 |
| 1927 | 29 | #1,372 |
| 1926 | 46 | #1,018 |
| 1925 | 28 | #1,390 |
| 1924 | 25 | #1,532 |
| 1923 | 35 | #1,213 |
| 1922 | 38 | #1,158 |
| 1921 | 36 | #1,199 |
| 1920 | 37 | #1,180 |
| 1919 | 31 | #1,264 |
| 1918 | 28 | #1,342 |
| 1917 | 43 | #997 |
| 1916 | 49 | #892 |
| 1915 | 38 | #1,037 |
| 1914 | 36 | #907 |
| 1913 | 23 | #1,049 |
| 1912 | 31 | #783 |
| 1911 | 8 | #1,289 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,117 |
| 1909 | 0 | – |
| 1908 | 0 | – |
| 1907 | 5 | #1,344 |
| 1906 | 0 | – |
| 1905 | 0 | – |
| 1904 | 6 | #1,063 |
| 1903 | 0 | – |
| 1902 | 0 | – |
| 1901 | 6 | #942 |
| 1900 | 0 | – |
| 1899 | 0 | – |
| 1898 | 0 | – |
| 1897 | 0 | – |
| 1896 | 5 | #1,100 |
| 1895 | 0 | – |
| 1894 | 0 | – |
| 1893 | 7 | #836 |
| 1892 | 5 | #1,065 |
| 1891 | 0 | – |
| 1890 | 0 | – |
| 1889 | 0 | – |
| 1888 | 0 | – |
| 1887 | 0 | – |
| 1886 | 0 | – |
| 1885 | 0 | – |
| 1884 | 0 | – |
| 1883 | 0 | – |
| 1882 | 0 | – |
| 1881 | 0 | – |
| 1880 | 6 | #809 |
Names like Ishmael
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Raphael Gabriel Elliot Benjamin Nathaniel Isaiah Elijah Jacob Isaac Joshua Samuel Zachary
Names related to Ishmael
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