
The short answer
Ismael is a masculine name used in Spanish and Portuguese. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Spanish and Portuguese form of Ishmael. This is also the form used in the Greek Old Testament." It ranked #263 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, spanish and Portuguese form of Ishmael. This is also the form used in the Greek Old Testament. The entry lists its usage as Spanish, Portuguese, Biblical Greek.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Ismael ranked #263 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #263 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Spanish) and that sit near Ismael in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ismael mean?
Behind the Name does not give Ismael a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: spanish and Portuguese form of Ishmael.
Is Ismael a popular name?
Ismael ranked #263 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Ismael a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Ismael appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Ismael — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.