Ishmael

“God hears; God will hear” — Hebrew origin

Boy's name · #1469 in the US (2025) · 2010s

Ishmael reached its best rank, #789, in 1912 and ranked #1469 in 2025. Roughly 6,800 boys have been named Ishmael since 1880. Ish is a short form of Ishmael.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 10 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Ishmaels

Ishmael Beah — Sierra Leonean writer
Ishmael Reed — American poet, novelist, essayist, songwriter, playwright, editor and publisher
Ishmael Miller — English association football player (born 1987)
Ishmael Kalsakau — Vanuatuan politician
Ishmael Toroama — Bougainvillean politician

In stories & tradition

Ishmael — Genesis 25 · Genesis 28
Ishmael son of Nethaniah — Jeremiah

What Ishmaels become

Among 52 notable people named Ishmael:

Sports figures appear 2.58× more often than among typical names — e.g. Ishmael Miller, English association football player (born 1987).

Similar names: Ismael · Meyer · Yisrael · Zack · Isiah · Lemuel

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service