Ismail
/?is.ma?.??i?l/ · 3 syllables
♂ Male ◎ Hebrew / Arabic ◈ 3 syllables
"God will hear, God has heeded"

From Hebrew / Arabic

Ismail means God hears — the Arabic form of Ishmael, from the Hebrew. In the Quran, Ismail IS the son Abraham nearly sacrificed — the most dramatic test of faith in Islam. He IS the ancestor of the Arab people. Three syllables of the most dramatic test of faith, Abraham's-near-sacrifice, and the ancestor of all Arabs.

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Ismail at a glance
MeaningGod will hear, God has heeded
OriginHebrew / Arabic
GenderMale
Syllables3
NumerologyLife Path 9
US Rank (today)#1320
Google AdSense — 728×90
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Why parents love Ismail
  • Ismail IS the son Abraham nearly sacrificed.
  • The most dramatic test of faith in Islam.
  • He IS the ancestor of the Arab people.
  • Three syllables with a sacred, Arabic sound: is-mah-EEL.
  • The meaning God hears IS divinely responsive.
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The vibe of Ismail
God hearsArabicIshmaelHebrewAbrahamsacrificetest of faithancestorArab peoplesacred
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Origin & history of Ismail
Hebrew Yishma'el (God hears) → Arabic Ismail
1
Hebrew / Arabic roots
Ismail IS the Arabic Ishmael — Abraham's near-sacrifice. The most dramatic test of faith. Ancestor of all Arabs.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Arabic; Quranic tradition.
3
Today
Ismail remains a beloved choice, ranking #1320 in the US. 3,818 babies have been named Ismail since 1962.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Islamic tradition, SSA data
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How popular is Ismail?
2016 peak year
Ismail has settled into a steady rhythm — neither rising sharply nor fading, holding a consistent place in U.S. birth records. It currently ranks well outside the top 1,000 (around #1320), with about 142 babies named Ismail each year. In 2016, 171 babies received the name (ranked #1131). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 3,818.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
171 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #1,131)
142 Avg. per year
(last decade)
1,420 Total registrations
last 10 years
3,818 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #1,320) Moderate
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
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Numerology of Ismail
9
Life path number
The Humanitarian
Compassion, wisdom and humanitarianism.

Ismail's Life Path 9 is the humanitarian's number — faith-test humanitarianism. People named Ismail tend to be sacred, responsive, and gifted at being Abraham's son AND ancestor of all Arabs.

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Abraham's son AND ancestor of Arabs
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Most-dramatic-faith
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Near-sacrifice
◎
God-hears
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Arabic-sacred
I9
S1
M4
A1
I9
L3
Sum: 27 → Life path 9
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Personality of Ismail
🌍
Compassionate soul
They carry the weight of the world with grace.
🎨
Richly creative
Deep feeling translates into deep art.
🌟
Old soul wisdom
They've always seemed wiser than their years.
💝
Unconditional love
Their love is vast and forgiving.
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Famous people named Ismail

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Names that sound like Ismail

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Names that combine with Ismail

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Ismail.

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Middle names for Ismail

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Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

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7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Ismail is a beautiful choice.
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