UK boy's name
Ishmael
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "God hears".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ishmael is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ishmael popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2263, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 30 births.
This profile covers 448 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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.
The latest count is about 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 445 living people in the UK are called Ishmael. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ishmael ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 30 boys were registered as Ishmael.
- • About 445 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ishmael as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2263
2024
Births in 2024
10
Latest year
Peak year
2010
30 births
Estimated living
445
2026
Meaning
What does Ishmael mean?
The name Ishmael has its origins in the Hebrew language and is derived from the biblical name Yishma'el, which means "God hears" or "God has hearkened." The name is first mentioned in the Book of Genesis, where Ishmael is the son of Abraham and his Egyptian concubine Hagar.
Ishmael is a significant figure in the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In the Islamic tradition, Ishmael is regarded as a prophet and is believed to have assisted his father Abraham in the construction of the Kaaba, the sacred shrine in Mecca. The Quran also mentions Ishmael as one of the righteous servants of God.
The earliest recorded use of the name Ishmael dates back to ancient times, and it has been found in various historical records and texts throughout the centuries. One of the earliest known individuals named Ishmael was Ishmael ibn Muhammad, a Persian poet who lived in the 9th century CE.
Another notable figure with the name Ishmael was Ishmael ibn Amir, a 10th-century Arab prince and military commander who played a significant role in the establishment of the Hamdanid dynasty in northern Syria and Iraq.
In literature, the name Ishmael is perhaps most famously associated with the character of Ishmael, the narrator of Herman Melville's classic novel "Moby-Dick," published in 1851. Melville's Ishmael is a complex and philosophical character who narrates the tale of Captain Ahab's obsessive pursuit of the white whale.
Another famous individual named Ishmael was Ishmael Reed, an American novelist, poet, and essayist born in 1938. Reed is known for his satirical and experimental writing, which often explores themes of race, culture, and identity.
In the realm of politics, Ishmael Toroama, born in 1962, is a notable figure who served as the President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea from 2020 to 2023.
Overall, the name Ishmael has a rich history and has been borne by numerous individuals across various cultures and time periods, ranging from biblical figures and poets to novelists and political leaders.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ishmael over time
The chart below shows babies named Ishmael registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ishmael, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 30 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ishmael by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ishmael 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1887 | 61 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1475 | 178 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1357 | 142 | 10 |
| 1990s | #905 | 67 | 4 |
Notable bearers
Famous people named Ishmael
-
Ishmael Miller
association football player
English association football player (born 1987)
1987-
-
Ishmael Evans
Christian minister
Wesleyan preacher in North Wales (1843-1922)
1843-1922
-
Ishmael Jones
bookbinder; printer; confectioner; stationer
printer in St Asaph
Related
Names similar to Ishmael
- Isaac 49,129
- Ibrahim 14,115
- Ismail 4,679
- Isaiah 4,629
- Idris 3,810
- Ivan 3,146
- Isa 2,943
- Ian 2,805
- Ilyas 2,552
- Ieuan 2,515
- Ibraheem 2,384
- Ioan 2,295
FAQ
Ishmael: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ishmael in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ishmael was ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Ishmael most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 30 babies registered as Ishmael in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ishmael?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "God hears".
How many people are called Ishmael in the UK?
A total of 448 babies have been registered as Ishmael across the 29 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.