Boys' name · since 1971
Ishmail
Ishmail has 208 recorded births since 1971 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1995 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #12,716 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 208
- born since 1971
- 1990s
- peak decade
Ishmail sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 208 recorded since 1971.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ishmail has been recorded 208 times among boys since 1971, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2012.
- #12,716 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 208 born since 1971
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ishmail ranks #12,716 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 208 born since 1971, peaking in the 1990s.
- #12,716 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 208
- born since 1971
- 1990s
- peak decade
Ishmail's 208 recorded births place it above 72% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Ishmail's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ishmail's SSA record in two at 1998 and the more recent half accounts for 53% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 47%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1971, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1995 peak of 13, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ishmail popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2012
- Peak year (1995)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 42 years of records
Ishmail by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (94 births, 45% of the file).
1990s was Ishmail's strongest decade.
94 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Ishmail births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 10
1970s
10 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
- 1990s
1990s
94 births
- 2000s
2000s
80 births
- 2010s 13
2010s
13 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 94 births (45% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Ishmail's data
- Ishmail's decade-level peak was the 1990s (94 total births); usage has since declined to 13 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ishmail
Nearby Names Like Ishmail
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ishmail
Compare Ishmail side by side: Ishmail vs Ishmael Ishmail vs Ishaan Ishmail vs Ishan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ishmail: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1995)
Similar record span (~41 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1971–2012 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ishmail draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.