Ismail
How to say it: is-mah-EEL · /ˌɪsmɑːˈil/
Arabic form of Ishmael; from Hebrew meaning 'God will hear.' Son of Abraham in Islamic and biblical tradition.
Ismail was the 962nd most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 204 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 28% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #849 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 | #962 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 204 |
| Share of births | 1 in 16,251 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +28% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #849 |
| In France, 2025 | #101 among boys’ names, 700 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Almost entirely a product of the last forty years, Ismail reached its high in the 2020s. It remains at that high and should keep rising.
What goes with it
Soft and breathy with three flowing syllables, Ismail feels calm with a biblical thread. Omar and Youssef share its style.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Ismail is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, Turkish.
In France: #101 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #243.
Famous people named Ismail
- Ismail Omar Guelleh (born 1947)President of Djibouti since 1999
- Ismail I (1487–1524)Founder and first shah of Safavid Iran
- Ismail al-Faruqi (1921–1986)Palestinian-American Muslim philosopher and scholar
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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