NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Esmail

Of Arabic origin meaning "God hears" or "God will hear".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2016. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Esmail is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Esmail popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2016 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3478, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 5 births.

This profile covers 8 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 1996 to 2016. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Esmail is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 8 living people in the UK are called Esmail. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2017 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Esmail ranked #3478 for boys in England and Wales in 2016, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2016, when 5 boys were registered as Esmail.
  • About 8 living people in the UK are estimated to have Esmail as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3478

2016

Births in 2016

5

Latest year

Peak year

2016

5 births

Estimated living

8

2026

Meaning

What does Esmail mean?

The name Esmail has its origins in the Arabic language and the Islamic faith. It is derived from the Arabic root word "isma," which means "to protect" or "to safeguard." The name can be traced back to the 7th century and the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

One of the earliest and most notable historical figures to bear the name Esmail was Ismail ibn Jafar, a prominent Islamic scholar and theologian who lived in the 8th century. He was known for his contributions to the development of Shia Islamic thought and his writings on jurisprudence and theology.

Another significant figure in Islamic history with the name Esmail was Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid Dynasty in Persia (modern-day Iran). He established the Safavid Empire in the early 16th century and played a pivotal role in the spread of Shia Islam throughout the region.

In the realm of literature, the name Esmail is associated with the Persian poet and mystic Esmail Rumi, who lived in the 13th century. He was the son of the renowned Sufi poet Jalal al-Din Rumi and was known for his own poetic works and spiritual teachings.

During the Ottoman Empire, the name Esmail was also prominent. One notable figure was Ismail Pasha, an Ottoman statesman and diplomat who served as the Grand Vizier (prime minister) in the late 18th century.

In more recent history, Esmail Ghaani was an Iranian military commander who served as the second-in-command of the Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He played a significant role in the Iranian military's operations in the Middle East and was known for his close relationship with the late Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani.

It is worth noting that while the name Esmail has its roots in Arabic and Islamic culture, it has been adopted and used in various other cultures and regions over time, particularly in parts of the Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Esmail over time

The chart below shows babies named Esmail registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2016. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Esmail, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2016, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Esmail
01345199620062016

Decades

Esmail by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Esmail was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #3478 5 1
1990s #2863 3 1

Related

Names similar to Esmail

FAQ

Esmail: questions and answers

How popular is the name Esmail in the UK right now?

In 2016, Esmail was ranked #3478 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Esmail most popular?

The peak year on record was 2016, with 5 babies registered as Esmail in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Esmail?

Of Arabic origin meaning "God hears" or "God will hear".

How many people are called Esmail in the UK?

A total of 8 babies have been registered as Esmail across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.