Fun Facts About the Name Ysmael
- 202 babies named Ysmael: U.S. records list 202 babies given the name Ysmael from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ysmael Mean?
Ysmael is a variant spelling of Ishmael, a Hebrew name meaning "God hears." The Hebrew form is יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishmaʿel), built from the verb שָׁמַע (shamaʿ), "to hear," and אֵל (El), "God"; its literal sense is "God hears" or "God will hear." The spelling Ysmael is an orthographic variant of Ishmael and has no separate etymology.
Ysmael Name History & Origins
Ishmael is the name of Abraham's first son by Hagar in the book of Genesis. The Hebrew text calls him Yishmaʿel, and the name passed into Greek as Ἰσμαήλ (Ismaēl) and into Latin as Ismahel and Ismael. From those forms came the European spellings, including Spanish and Portuguese Ismael and English Ishmael. Ysmael belongs to that same line as a spelling variant rather than as a distinct name with its own origin.
In Islamic tradition, Ishmael appears as Ismāʿīl (Arabic إسماعيل), a prophet and son of Ibrahim. He is associated with Mecca and, in Islamic accounts, with the building of the Kaaba alongside his father. The spelling Ysmael is a form of Ishmael, so its documented history is not separate from the parent name's.
How Popular is the Name Ysmael?
Ysmael has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1930. Its best rank was #2,469 in 1931.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,955 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #14,168 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #7,710 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #12,093 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #14,037 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #12,053 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #12,088 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #10,763 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #12,514 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #13,330 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #12,722 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #10,514 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #8,688 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #9,633 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1988 | #7,254 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #4,450 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1946 | #2,533 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1945 | #3,779 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #4,038 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,502 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1935 | #3,639 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #3,640 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1931 | #2,469 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #2,608 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1929 | #3,955 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1928 | #2,842 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1927 | #4,795 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1926 | #3,380 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #4,193 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #4,345 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #4,174 | 6 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ysmael Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual. You hate bondage in any form. You have love of beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You are willing to take spiritual matters on faith instead of subjecting them to mental analysis. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Ysmael's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ysmael's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.