Total births
208
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.
- 208
- total births
- 1971–2012
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 45%
- born in that 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.
- 208 total births
- 1971–2012 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 45% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
208 boys have been named Ishmail since 1971, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2012.
- 208
- total births
- 1971–2012
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 45%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
45% of everyone ever named Ishmail was born in this single decade.
1995
Single peak year
13 babies were named Ishmail in 1995 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2012Peak year
1995
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1971
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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
How popular is the name Ishmail? ▼
208 babies have been named Ishmail since 1971. It was last recorded in 2012. The peak year was 1995 with 13 births.
When was Ishmail most popular? ▼
Ishmail was most popular in the 1990s decade with 94 total births. The single peak year was 1995.
How long has the name Ishmail been used? ▼
Records for Ishmail go back to 1971, giving 42 years of history through 2012.
What names are similar to Ishmail? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ishmael, Ishaan, Ishan, Ishaq, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
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
Ishmael Boy
#1489 6,794 births
Ishaan Boy
#1000 5,462 births
Ishan Boy
#2124 2,737 births
Ishaq Boy
#3017 708 births
Isham Boy
615 births
Compare Ishmail side by side: Ishmail vs Ishmael Ishmail vs Ishaan Ishmail vs Ishan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ishmail: Baby Name Since 1971 - 208 Births, Peak 1995." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ishmail. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 July 2026.