The story behind Ishmael
From Hebrew יִשְׁמָעֵאל (yishma'él (yišmāʿēl), “God hears, God will hear”). Doublet of Ismail.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əl/
Regional pronunciation variants
- English; dialect unspecified: /ˈɪʃ.meɪl/
Popularity
Ishmael ranked #1469 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Ishmael
Ismael
From Biblical Hebrew יִשְׁמָעֵאל (yishma'él/yišmāʿēl, literally “God will hear”). Learned borrowing from Latin Ismael, from Ancient Greek Ἰσμαήλ (Ismaḗl), from Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Israel
From Middle English Israel, from Old English, borrowed from Latin Israel, from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl), from Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él, “Israel”). In the Bible, it is…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Izrael
Inherited from Old Czech Iz(d)ra(h)el, Isra(h)el, Jezrahel.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
ʔismāʕīl
From Hebrew יִשְׁמָעֵאל (yishma'él, yišmāʿēl), from יִשְׁמַע אֵל (yishmá' 'él, yišmaʿ ʾēl, “God heard”). Corresponding to يَسْمَعُ (yasmaʕu, “he hears”) + إلّ (ʔill, “God”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Adriel
Borrowed from Hebrew עדריאל (“flock of God”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ariel
From Biblical Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל (ari'él, a compound of אֲרִי (arí, “lion”) + אֵל (él, “God”), literally “lion of God”). * (moon of Uranus): All of Uranus’s moons are named after…
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Ishmael
Abdia
Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew עוֹבַדְיָה (ovadya).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abednego
From Hebrew עֲבֵד נְגוֹא, itself derived from a reconstructed Aramaic name meaning likely "servant of Nabu" or "servant of Nergal".
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abramo
Learned borrowing from Late Latin Ābrahām, borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), borrowed from Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (ʔaḇrɔhɔm).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Ishmael
Aarão
From Latin Aarōn, from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן ('aharón). Doublet of Faro.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Aarón
a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Aaron
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length