Ismael
How to say it: is-mah-EL · /ˌɪsmɑˈɛl/
From Hebrew Yishma'el meaning 'God will hear'; the biblical son of Abraham, widely used in Islamic tradition.
Ismael was the 260th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,307 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 54% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #193 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #260 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,307 |
| Share of births | 1 in 2,275 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +54% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #193 |
| In France, 2025 | #41 among boys’ names, 1,320 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Ismael keeps climbing and reached its high in the 2020s. Holding at that high now, it seems poised to climb further.
What goes with it
Flowing and soft with a breathy touch, Ismael feels biblical and moves easily across languages. Ilyas would pair nicely.
Middle names that flow with Ismael →
Nicknames
- Isma
- Ish
- Mael
Honouring a Ismael in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Ismael is about 1 in 95.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish.
In France: #41 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Ismael
- Ismael Saibari (born 2001)Moroccan footballer
- Ismael Díaz (born 1997)Panamanian footballer
- Ismael Urzaiz (born 1971)Spanish association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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