Ishmael
Meaning
traditionally 'God will hear'
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Ishmael peaked in the 1990s and the 2020s in nearly equal measure.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
34 people · the #86,756 first name in Brazil · median age 6
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Ishmael
Most people given the name Ishmael in the United States are teenagers or young adults today.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Ishmael deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Ishmael truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Ishmael fits with your family’s names and surname.
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