Ishmael Name Meaning, Popularity and Origins
Origin:
Hebrew
Gender Distribution:
100% Masculine / 0% Feminine
Meaning:
Ishmael means 'God will hear' or 'God hears'.
Meaning of the Name Ishmael
Ishmael is a biblical name of Hebrew origin. In the Bible, Ishmael was the son of Abraham and his wife Sarah's handmaiden, Hagar. The name Ishmael means 'God will hear' or 'God hears' in Hebrew. Ishmael is believed to be the ancestor of the Ishmaelites, who are considered to be the Arab people. The name Ishmael carries a sense of divine connection and a reminder of God's ability to hear and answer prayers.
Popularity of the Name Ishmael
The popularity for the name Ishmael peaked in popularity in the year 2017 with 158 births, which ranked number 2,614 out of 30,076 unique names for that year. Ishmael had the most male births in 2017 with 158, which ranked number 1,180 out of 14,245 male names. The number of births for the name Ishmael has declined sharply over the last ten years from 127 births to 96 births, a decline of -24.41%. Among males, Ishmael has declined sharply in popularity over the last ten years from 127 births to 96 births, a decline of -24.41%.
Nationwide Popularity of Ishmael
- 20 Year Trend of Ishmael: -18.64%
- 10 Year Trend of Ishmael: -24.41%
- 10 Year Male Trend of Ishmael: -24.41%
Popularity of Ishmael by State
For males, Ishmael was most popular in Southeastern states with 16 births in the region. It was most commonly seen in CA, with 11 male births. See below for a full state by state breakdown of the name Ishmael. States with less than five births recorded will not be shown.
| State | Male Births | Male Gender Rank | Female Births | Female Gender Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 11 | 1534 | < 5 | N/A |
| FL | 8 | 1340 | < 5 | N/A |
| GA | 8 | 1006 | < 5 | N/A |
| NY | 8 | 1308 | < 5 | N/A |
| PA | 5 | 1245 | < 5 | N/A |
| TX | 10 | 1664 | < 5 | N/A |
2024 Popularity Projections for Ishmael
- Total Births of Ishmael: 93 (-2.76%)
- Male Births of Ishmael: 93 (-2.76%)
Given the downward trend of Ishmael over the last 10 years, we expect this to continue in 2024 with roughly a -2.76% decrease in total births, for a total of 93 births in 2024. Male births for Ishmael have been decreasing over the past decade, so we anticipate roughly 93 male births in 2024, a decrease of -2.76%.