Given name & surname
Ismael
“God will listen”
Ismael is a variant of Ishmael. One Hebrew interpretation is “God will listen.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Ismael is a variant of Ishmael. One Hebrew interpretation is “God will listen.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Ismael is a variant of Ishmael. An origin associated with Ishmael is Hebrew. In German use, Ismael is a variant of Ismail. An origin associated with Ismail is Arabic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Portuguese usage, Ismael developed from Ἰσμαήλ.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1903. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Ismael is a variant of Ishmael. The history of Ishmael gives this family its wider story. In biblical tradition, Ishmael is the name of Abraham’s first son.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Ismael through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 44,289
- 44,216 boys · 73 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 1,535 babies
- 2025
- 1,307
- #263 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +46%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,307 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 263 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 45.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (329). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 51,341 as a first name in 2020; 1,707 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ismael’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Ismael has a diminutive in ISMA. Ismael has a feminine form in Ismaela. In German usage, Ismael has a related form in Ismail.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ismael has relatives in 32 languages.
36 related names in 32 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 32
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- IzmaelHungarian, Czech
- Ismaelafeminine form · Malagasy
- ꯏꯁꯃꯥꯏꯂequivalent
- 𑂅𑂮𑂹𑂧𑂰𑂆𑂪𑂹equivalent
- ဤသ္မာယီလ်equivalent
- ИзмаилRussian, Bulgarian
- IsmaëlFrench, Dutch
- Ἰσμαήλroot · Ancient Greek
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- ЇшмаельUkrainian
- ІсмаїльUkrainian
- ІзмаїлUkrainian
- YişmaelTurkish
- İsmailTurkish
- ИсмаӀилChechen
- JišmaelCzech, Croatian
- JišmaélCzech
- IšmaelCzech
- IsmailiSwahili, Albanian
- ИсмаилоSerbian
- ИзмаелSerbian
- ИшмаэльRussian
- ИсмаилRussian, Kazakh
- ИсмаэльRussian
- JisjmaëelDutch
- ЫсмайылKazakh
- イシュマエルJapanese
- IsmaeleItalian
- ישׁמעאלHebrew
- ΙσμαήλGreek
- IŝmaelEsperanto
- İsmayılAzerbaijani
- إسماعيلArabic
People named Ismael
- Ismael SaibariMoroccan footballer (born 2001)
- Ismael DíazPanamanian footballerborn 1997
- Ismael UrzaizSpanish association football playerborn 1971
- Ismaël KonéCanadian soccer playerborn 2002
- Ismaël BangouraGuinean and French footballer (born 1985)
- Ismael FuentesChilean association football playerborn 1981
- Al-ZafirFatimid Dynasty Caliph from 1149 to 11541133–1154
- Ismael BorreroCuban amateur wrestlerborn 1992
- El MayoMexican drug lord (born 1948)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ismael, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ibrahim
“father of a multitude; father of nations” · “father of a multitude (of nations)”
>99% boys
Ezequiel
“God strengthens” · “strengthened by God”
>99% boys
Asa
“doctor, healer” · “born in the morning”
89% boys · 11% girls
Axel
“source of life; small oak” · “axe”
>99% boys
Ezekiel
“God strengthens” · “strengthened by God”
>99% boys
Abel
“the life force; breath”
>99% boys
Ezra
“help” · “one who is helpful”
95% boys · 5% girls
Micah
“who is like (Yahweh)?”
93% boys · 7% girls