Ismaeel
Boy name · #3816 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Ismaeel? In official American birth records, Ismaeel has been tracked continuously since 1995, giving it 30 years of documented American history.
Ismaeel is currently the #3816 boy name in the United States — 29 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #4295, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 62,069 boys born in 2025 was named Ismaeel.
Babies named Ismaeel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 30-year story
Ismaeel first appears in the Social Security records in 1995, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 34 babies and a rank of #3416. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ismaeel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ismaeel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ismaeel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ismaeel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ismaeel is most common
State-level data for Ismaeel is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Ismaeel
Statistically, parents drawn to Ismaeel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jibreel, Steel, Izmael, Izekiel, and Izrael.
JibreelSteelIzmaelIzekielIzraelJadrielJahleelZadkiel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ismaeel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #3757 |
| 2024 | 20 | #4890 |
| 2023 | 34 | #3416 |
| 2022 | 26 | #4089 |
| 2021 | 28 | #3814 |
| 2020 | 23 | #4275 |
| 2019 | 22 | #4480 |
| 2018 | 20 | #4739 |
| 2017 | 23 | #4331 |
| 2016 | 23 | #4327 |
| 2015 | 23 | #4295 |
| 2014 | 21 | #4538 |
| 2013 | 14 | #5923 |
| 2012 | 13 | #6306 |
| 2011 | 18 | #4983 |
| 2010 | 21 | #4517 |
| 2009 | 15 | #5800 |
| 2008 | 15 | #5767 |
| 2007 | 14 | #5901 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7427 |
| 2003 | 7 | #8643 |
| 2002 | 8 | #7643 |
| 2000 | 7 | #8209 |
| 1999 | 5 | #9912 |
| 1998 | 8 | #6843 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ismaeel?
In official American birth records, the name Ismaeel first appeared in 1995 (over 30 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 30 years.
Is Ismaeel a popular boy name?
Ismaeel ranked #3816 among boys in 2025 with 29 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4295.
When was the name Ismaeel most popular?
Ismaeel peaked in 2023, when 34 American boys received the name (ranked #3416 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ismaeel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 62,069 newborn American boys was named Ismaeel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.