boy's name
Ismail
iss-mah-EEL
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 21,958
France
#126
as Ismaïl, 2025
Ismail is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God will hear," the Arabic form of Ishmael, counted in Islam as the ancestor of the Arab peoples. It ranks 126th in France and 243rd in England and Wales.
- Ismail is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in France in 2025, when 700 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 2,807 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1961.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ismail over time
Births per decade in France, 1960s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 30 |
| 1970s | 230 |
| 1980s | 715 |
| 1990s | 1,205 |
| 2000s | 1,820 |
| 2010s | 4,335 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,445 |
What Ismail means
Ismail means God will hear, or God hears. The Hebrew joins a verb for hearing with El, God, and Genesis explains it directly — the name is given because the Lord has heard Hagar's affliction in the wilderness.
Where Ismail comes from
Ismail is the Arabic Isma'il, from the Hebrew Yishma'el, built on shama, to hear, and El, God. Genesis supplies the reading: Hagar, pregnant and driven into the wilderness, is told to name the child Ishmael because the Lord has heard her. The two traditions diverge sharply afterward. In the Bible, Ishmael is Abraham's son by Hagar, sent away when Isaac is born. In Islam, Isma'il is the son Ibrahim is commanded to sacrifice — the Quran does not name which son, but the majority Muslim reading is Isma'il rather than Ishaq — and he helps his father raise the Kaaba at Mecca. He is counted the forefather of the Arab peoples. Melville's opening line in Moby-Dick is the name's best-known English use.
Ismail in use
Ismail ranks 126th in France with about 700 births in 2025 and 243rd in England and Wales with 200 births, so it has genuine reach across both markets. Our records mark it stable with a peak in 2025 and carry it from 1961. It also appears in Scotland, Ireland and the United States. French and British registers hold Ismail, Ismaïl, Ismael and Ismaeel separately, which spreads the true total.
How popular is Ismail?
In 2025, Ismail was given to 210 babies in France, ranking #258 that year. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Ismail is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Ismail is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Ismaïl | Ismaïl is Ismail written with a diaeresis, used in France, where it ranks #126. | 5,075 |
| Isma'il | Isma'il is Ismail written with an apostrophe, recorded mostly in France. | 131 |
| Ismaîl | Ismaîl is a rare spelling of Ismail, written with a circumflex and recorded about 45 times, mostly in France. | 45 |
| Ismâïl | Ismâïl is a rare spelling of Ismail, written with a circumflex and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Ismail
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ismail also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ismail over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Ismail in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Ismail
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ismail — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ismail
What does the name Ismail mean?
Ismail means "God will hear," and Genesis explains it — the name is given because the Lord heard Hagar.
Is Ismail the same as Ishmael?
Yes. Ismail is the Arabic form of the Hebrew Yishma'el.
What is his role in Islam?
Isma'il is generally read as the son Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice, and he helped raise the Kaaba. He is counted the forefather of the Arab peoples.
How popular is Ismail?
126th in France and 243rd in England and Wales.
Is Ismail a girl's or a boy's name?
Ismail is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Ismail?
Ismail has 2 syllables.
Is Ismail a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ismail currently ranks #126 in France. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.