Ismail
Boy name · #1065 in 2025 · Uniqueness 47/100
Ismail is currently the #1065 boy name in the United States — 204 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1174, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,824 boys born in 2025 was named Ismail.
The 63-year story
Ismail first appears in the Social Security records in 1962, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 204 babies and a rank of #1064. 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.
Babies named Ismail per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ismail against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ismail in class?
Ismail scores 47 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ismail is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ismail is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Ismails were CA (34), NY (33), TX (21), NJ (16), VA (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Ismail
Statistically, parents drawn to Ismail tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mikail, Mikhail, Isael, Shmuel, and Mikael.
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Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ismail | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 204 | #1064 |
| 2024 | 163 | #1231 |
| 2023 | 132 | #1397 |
| 2022 | 122 | #1479 |
| 2021 | 121 | #1479 |
| 2020 | 130 | #1361 |
| 2019 | 114 | #1494 |
| 2018 | 158 | #1195 |
| 2017 | 148 | #1236 |
| 2016 | 171 | #1130 |
| 2015 | 158 | #1174 |
| 2014 | 136 | #1300 |
| 2013 | 135 | #1285 |
| 2012 | 116 | #1428 |
| 2011 | 119 | #1395 |
| 2010 | 94 | #1652 |
| 2009 | 104 | #1562 |
| 2008 | 85 | #1760 |
| 2007 | 101 | #1552 |
| 2006 | 103 | #1479 |
| 2005 | 69 | #1854 |
| 2004 | 80 | #1618 |
| 2003 | 85 | #1513 |
| 2002 | 85 | #1483 |
| 2001 | 80 | #1514 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ismail a popular boy name?
Ismail ranked #1065 among boys in 2025 with 204 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1174.
When was the name Ismail most popular?
Ismail peaked in 2025, when 204 American boys received the name (ranked #1064 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ismail?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,824 newborn American boys was named Ismail. It scores 47/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.