Ismail

Ismail is a masculine first name that is considered an Arabic (إسماعيل) and Turkish (İsmail) variant of the biblical name Ismael. This name is derived from the ancient Hebrew name Yishma'el (יִשְׁמָעֵאל) and is translated into English as 'God hears,' 'God has heard,' or 'may God hear.'

What does the name Ismail mean?

The name Ismail is a masculine form used in both Arabic and Turkish, derived from the biblical name Ismael, which in turn has its roots in the ancient Hebrew Yishma'el (יִשְׁמָעֵאל). The translation into English is 'God hears,' 'God has heard,' or 'may God hear.' This meaning comes from the ancient Hebrew and consists of the parts yi (יִ) for 'he,' shama' (שָׁמַע) for 'hear,' and 'el' (אֵל) for 'God' or 'the Mighty.' Ismael was the first son of Abraham in the Old Testament. According to tradition, Abraham was childless for a long time until God finally granted him a son. The prophet Ismaîl is considered the patriarch of the 13th tribe of Israel, which is also known as the people of Muslims. Other variants of the name include Ishmael, Isamael, Ismaele, Ismaili, Esmail, Ismaeel, Ismahel, Ismo, Esmaeel, Esmaeil, and Ismoil. Female forms of the name are Ismaela and Ismaila. The name can also occur as a surname.

Where does the name Ismail come from?

Ismail is a masculine first name with ancient Hebrew origins, meaning 'God hears.'

How do you pronounce Ismail?

The pronunciation of Ismail is two syllables and varies depending on emphasis, but it can also be three syllables. The name is usually pronounced as 'Is-ma-il' [ɪsmaˈiːl], starting with a soft I sound. The stressed syllable has a long I sound, and the name ends softly with the sound l. Ismail conveys a sense of tradition and dignity and possesses a harmonious depth as well as a clear structure.

When is the name day of Ismail?

The name day of Ismail falls on June 17.

Popularity

In Germany, Ismail enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 264th on the list of the most common male first names. Its best ranking was in 1986, when it reached 151st place. In the last ten years, Ismail has been given as a first name approximately 2,700 times, placing it 273rd in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 260th.

Nicknames & pet names

Ili / Isi / Isma / Ismaileko / Ismi / Ismo / Ismu / Iso / Israel / Isu / Isy / Izzy / Meli / Misa / Simê / Smajl / Smile

Famous people

• Ismail Abdul-Latif (Bahraini footballer)
• Ismail Abdullatif (Barbadian footballer)
• Ismail Al-Amour (Palestinian footballer)
• Ismail Assad (Algerian cyclist)
• Ismail Azzaoui (football player from Belgium)
• Ismail Belamaalem (football player from Morocco)
• Ismail Benyamina (Algerian football player)
• Ismail bin Ali Al-Akwa (historian)
• Ismail Budak (footballer)
• Ismail Cipe (Turkish football player)
• Ismail Coban (German painter)
• Ismail Feridun (Turkish footballer)
• Ismail Gelenbevi (mathematician from the USA)
• Ismail Hakki Duru (physicist)
• Ismail Ibn Ahmar (historian from Morocco)
• Ismail Ibn Ghazi (Moroccan scholar)
• Ismail Isa (Bulgarian footballer)
• Ismail Kadare (Albanian writer)
• Ismail Keta (Albanian boxer)
• Ismail Mohamed (Maldivian footballer)