Where does the name Ismaël come from?

Ismaël is a boy name of Arabic (Hebrew origin) origin. "Ismail" is the cleanest US spelling.

How do you pronounce Ismaël?

Ismaël is pronounced is-ma-EEL (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Ismaël?

Ismaël is also written as Ismail, Ishmael, Smail.

A name from Arabic (Hebrew origin) · Boy

Ismaël

إِسْمَاعِيل

The Prophet Ishmael, eldest son of Ibrahim and Hajar. Considered the ancestor of the Arabs. Qur'an 19:54 describes him as "true to his promise, a messenger and a prophet."

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Meaning

A name that means something.

IThe Prophet Ishmael, eldest son of Ibrahim and Hajar. Considered the ancestor of the Arabs. Qur'an 19:54 describes him as "true to his promise, a messenger and a prophet."

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: Hebrew, "God hears"

Regional variants

"Ismail" is the cleanest US spelling. "Ishmael" is the English biblical form (famous from Moby-Dick) and works as a cross-cultural choice.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Ismaël".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Ismail Most common Ishmael Smail

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Ismaël.

I
Prophet Ismail
I
Ismail Kadare (Albanian novelist)

Quick answers

People often ask about Ismaël.

What does the name Ismaël mean?: Ismaël means the Prophet Ishmael, eldest son of Ibrahim and Hajar. Considered the ancestor of the Arabs. Qur'an 19:54 describes him as "true to his promise, a messenger and a prophet.".
Where does the name Ismaël come from?: Ismaël is a boy name of Arabic (Hebrew origin) origin. "Ismail" is the cleanest US spelling.
How do you pronounce Ismaël?: Ismaël is pronounced is-ma-EEL (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Ismaël?: Ismaël is also written as Ismail, Ishmael, Smail.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.