Yishmael as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Yishmael

What is the meaning of the name Yishmael ?

The baby name Yishmael is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /jɪʃˈmeɪ.əl/ (YISH-may-əl).

Yishmael is Hebrew in Origin.

Yishmael is the Hebrew form of Ishmael, from the roots yishma ("he will hear") and El ("God"), yielding the theophoric meaning "God will hear" or "God hears." In the Hebrew Bible, the name is given by an angel to Hagar for Abraham’s first son, underscoring divine attentiveness to human distress.

Within Jewish tradition, Yishmael remains familiar through scriptural readings and figures such as Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha (1st–2nd c. CE). Across languages the name appears as Ishmael (English), Ismael (Spanish/Portuguese), Ismaël (French), and Isma'il/Ismail (Arabic, Persian, Turkish), central in Islam as a revered prophet and forebear of Arab tribes. Usage in English gained literary resonance via Melville’s “Call me Ishmael,” while modern Hebrew prefers the biblical spelling Yishma’el or the transliteration Yishmael; the form is uncommon but recognizable. The name conveys themes of answered prayer and resilience.

⚙ Yishmael is exceptionally rare. There are only 4 recorded uses on record, spread over 2 countries.