Ishmael is a distinctive boys' name in United States, ranking #1312 in 2003 with 106 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2017 with 158 births ranking #1183. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 24.8%. In 2003, approximately 1 in every 18,635 boys born was named Ishmael. STABLE Recent data shows the name is currently stable.