Ishmael
In the biblical Book of Genesis, Ishmael was the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, the handmaiden of Abraham's wife Sarah. He died at the age of 137.
Meaning & Origin of Ishmael
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In the biblical Book of Genesis, Ishmael was the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, the handmaiden of Abraham's wife Sarah. He died at the age of 137.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Ishmael
Ishmael first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 158 Ishmaels were born — ranking #1,181 that year. As of 2026, Ishmael ranks #1,623 for baby boys with 106 births, falling sharply (-24%). In total, more than 7K Ishmaels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ishmael
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ishmael is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ishmael
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About the name Ishmael
Ishmael is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Ishmael's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #783. Use the chart and map above to compare Ishmael's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2017 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.