Ishmail
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- ISH-mayl
- Origin
- Hebrew
Ishmail is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “God hears”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Ishmail mean?
Hebrew: variant of Ishmael
“God hears”
Variant of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar in the Bible, and the narrator of Moby-Dick.
Is Ishmail a girl's or a boy's name?
Ishmail is a boys' name.
How popular is Ishmail in the UK?
No boys in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2003, with 6 boys.
Half of all the boys named Ishmail in the UK since 1996 were born between 2001 and 2009. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Ishmail in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 | #4,803 |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 4 | #4,169 |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 1 | #6,220 |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 3 | #4,999 |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 6 | #3,092 |
| 2009 | 5 | #3,395 |
| 2008 | 4 | #3,836 |
| 2007 | 4 | #3,748 |
| 2006 | 6 | #2,645 |
| 2005 | 5 | #2,885 |
| 2004 | 3 | #3,792 |
| 2003 | 6 | #2,283 |
| 2002 | 3 | #3,325 |
| 2001 | 3 | #3,255 |
| 2000 | 3 | #3,146 |
| 1999 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 4 | #2,531 |
| 1997 | 3 | #2,979 |
| 1996 | 5 | #2,094 |
How popular is Ishmail in the US?
No boys in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1995, with 13 boys. It first appears in the records in 1971.
Half of all the boys named Ishmail in the US since 1880 were born between 1993 and 2005, the years shaded on the chart below.
Ishmail in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 6 | #10,763 |
| 2011 | 7 | #9,593 |
| 2010 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 9 | #8,305 |
| 2008 | 13 | #6,388 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8,169 |
| 2006 | 8 | #8,726 |
| 2005 | 5 | #11,464 |
| 2004 | 9 | #7,530 |
| 2003 | 9 | #7,238 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6,081 |
| 2001 | 0 | – |
| 2000 | 7 | #8,202 |
| 1999 | 7 | #7,867 |
| 1998 | 10 | #5,834 |
| 1997 | 7 | #7,275 |
| 1996 | 10 | #5,528 |
| 1995 | 13 | #4,502 |
| 1994 | 12 | #4,797 |
| 1993 | 9 | #5,764 |
| 1992 | 10 | #5,228 |
| 1991 | 9 | #5,513 |
| 1990 | 7 | #6,408 |
| 1989 | 0 | – |
| 1988 | 0 | – |
| 1987 | 0 | – |
| 1986 | 5 | #6,715 |
| 1985 | 0 | – |
| 1984 | 0 | – |
| 1983 | 0 | – |
| 1982 | 6 | #5,617 |
| 1981 | 0 | – |
| 1980 | 0 | – |
| 1979 | 0 | – |
| 1978 | 0 | – |
| 1977 | 0 | – |
| 1976 | 0 | – |
| 1975 | 0 | – |
| 1974 | 0 | – |
| 1973 | 0 | – |
| 1972 | 5 | #4,983 |
| 1971 | 5 | #4,905 |
Names like Ishmail
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Ibrahim, Hamza, Ismail, Ahmed, Uzair, Musa, Muhammad, Fahad, Ishaq, Hassan, Imaad, Abdullah
Names related to Ishmail
More Hebrew names
Noah, Isabella, Elijah, James, Jack, Mia, Ava, Jude, Ezra, Benjamin, Isaac, Jacob, Ethan, Daniel, Samuel, Elias
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Ishmail: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/ishmail, updated 20 October 2026.