Ishmael is an uncommon boys' name that peaked in 2017 and remains in steady use.
Ishmael is a boy name. In 2025 it ranked #1,469 for boy births in the United States (and #3,112 across all names), given to 121 babies. Ishmael was first reported in SSA data in 1880 and peaked in 2017 (158 births).
| Year | U.S. births | U.S. + territories | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 121 | 121 | #1,469 |
| 2024 | 121 | 121 | #1,488 |
| 2023 | 120 | 120 | #1,493 |
| 2022 | 97 | 97 | #1,734 |
| 2021 | 143 | 143 | #1,313 |
| 2020 | 144 | 144 | #1,272 |
| 2019 | 143 | 143 | #1,299 |
| 2018 | 139 | 139 | #1,311 |
| 2017 | 158 | 158 | #1,184 |
| 2016 | 132 | 132 | #1,352 |
| 2015 | 150 | 150 | #1,225 |
| 2014 | 141 | 141 | #1,267 |
| 2013 | 121 | 121 | #1,392 |
| 2012 | 127 | 127 | #1,341 |
| 2011 | 133 | 133 | #1,289 |
| 2010 | 111 | 111 | #1,475 |
| 2009 | 117 | 117 | #1,438 |
| 2008 | 100 | 100 | #1,587 |
| 2007 | 116 | 116 | #1,406 |
| 2006 | 114 | 114 | #1,394 |
| 2005 | 124 | 124 | #1,263 |
| 2004 | 124 | 124 | #1,227 |
| 2003 | 106 | 106 | #1,312 |
| 2002 | 118 | 118 | #1,187 |
| 2001 | 142 | 142 | #1,037 |
| 2000 | 144 | 144 | #1,017 |
| 1999 | 134 | 134 | #1,036 |
| 1998 | 146 | 146 | #953 |
| 1997 | 152 | — | #904 |
| 1996 | 141 | — | #928 |
| 1995 | 126 | — | #989 |
| 1994 | 122 | — | #1,006 |
| 1993 | 117 | — | #1,019 |
| 1992 | 112 | — | #1,034 |
| 1991 | 97 | — | #1,114 |
| 1990 | 86 | — | #1,177 |
| 1989 | 58 | — | #1,440 |
| 1988 | 37 | — | #1,829 |
| 1987 | 44 | — | #1,594 |
| 1986 | 50 | — | #1,407 |
| 1985 | 59 | — | #1,249 |
| 1984 | 59 | — | #1,194 |
| 1983 | 60 | — | #1,170 |
| 1982 | 56 | — | #1,248 |
| 1981 | 60 | — | #1,192 |
| 1980 | 55 | — | #1,246 |
| 1979 | 57 | — | #1,213 |
| 1978 | 43 | — | #1,418 |
| 1977 | 47 | — | #1,325 |
| 1976 | 33 | — | #1,628 |
| 1975 | 42 | — | #1,352 |
| 1974 | 47 | — | #1,224 |
| 1973 | 33 | — | #1,487 |
| 1972 | 23 | — | #1,890 |
| 1971 | 29 | — | #1,650 |
| 1970 | 18 | — | #2,165 |
| 1969 | 19 | — | #1,936 |
| 1968 | 19 | — | #1,864 |
| 1967 | 14 | — | #2,194 |
| 1966 | 13 | — | #2,277 |
| 1965 | 12 | — | #2,410 |
| 1964 | 19 | — | #1,870 |
| 1963 | 14 | — | #2,251 |
| 1962 | 14 | — | #2,228 |
| 1961 | 22 | — | #1,761 |
| 1960 | 9 | — | #2,961 |
| 1959 | 17 | — | #2,006 |
| 1958 | 13 | — | #2,311 |
| 1957 | 15 | — | #2,136 |
| 1956 | 12 | — | #2,426 |
| 1955 | 15 | — | #2,087 |
| 1954 | 20 | — | #1,730 |
| 1953 | 14 | — | #2,145 |
| 1952 | 22 | — | #1,641 |
| 1951 | 14 | — | #2,094 |
| 1950 | 22 | — | #1,587 |
| 1949 | 20 | — | #1,684 |
| 1948 | 13 | — | #2,164 |
| 1947 | 13 | — | #2,201 |
| 1946 | 15 | — | #1,918 |
| 1945 | 12 | — | #2,054 |
| 1944 | 8 | — | #2,739 |
| 1943 | 17 | — | #1,798 |
| 1942 | 20 | — | #1,605 |
| 1941 | 10 | — | #2,407 |
| 1940 | 18 | — | #1,658 |
| 1939 | 17 | — | #1,671 |
| 1938 | 18 | — | #1,644 |
| 1937 | 22 | — | #1,470 |
| 1936 | 23 | — | #1,403 |
| 1935 | 22 | — | #1,469 |
| 1934 | 26 | — | #1,340 |
| 1933 | 24 | — | #1,382 |
| 1932 | 25 | — | #1,406 |
| 1931 | 20 | — | #1,609 |
| 1930 | 26 | — | #1,443 |
| 1929 | 20 | — | #1,702 |
| 1928 | 27 | — | #1,432 |
| 1927 | 29 | — | #1,390 |
| 1926 | 46 | — | #1,024 |
| 1925 | 28 | — | #1,406 |
| 1924 | 25 | — | #1,550 |
| 1923 | 35 | — | #1,226 |
| 1922 | 38 | — | #1,172 |
| 1921 | 36 | — | #1,212 |
| 1920 | 37 | — | #1,194 |
| 1919 | 31 | — | #1,285 |
| 1918 | 28 | — | #1,361 |
| 1917 | 43 | — | #999 |
| 1916 | 49 | — | #905 |
| 1915 | 38 | — | #1,044 |
| 1914 | 36 | — | #921 |
| 1913 | 23 | — | #1,064 |
| 1912 | 31 | — | #789 |
| 1911 | 8 | — | #1,334 |
| 1910 | 9 | — | #1,159 |
| 1907 | 5 | — | #1,444 |
| 1904 | 6 | — | #1,138 |
| 1901 | 6 | — | #997 |
| 1896 | 5 | — | #1,176 |
| 1893 | 7 | — | #870 |
| 1892 | 5 | — | #1,161 |
| 1880 | 6 | — | #870 |