Total births
301
Boys' name · since 1916
Ishmeal
Ishmeal has 301 recorded births since 1916 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1997 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 301
- total births
- 1916–2017
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 30%
- born in that decade
301 boys have been named Ishmeal since 1916, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Ishmeal recorded 301 times among boys since 1916, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2017.
- 301 total births
- 1916–2017 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 30% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
301 boys have been named Ishmeal since 1916, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2017.
- 301
- total births
- 1916–2017
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 30%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Ishmeal was born in this single decade.
1997
Single peak year
14 babies were named Ishmeal in 1997 - its busiest year on record.
Ishmeal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ishmeal splits its recorded history at 1990: 56% of all births land in the more recent half, 44% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1921 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1997 peak of 14 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ishmeal at a glance
Last recorded 2017Peak year
1997
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1916
Ishmeal popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2017
- Peak year (1997)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 102 years of records
Ishmeal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Ishmeal's strongest decade.
91 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Ishmeal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 17
1910s
17 births
- 1920s
1920s
37 births
- 1930s 12
1930s
12 births
- 1940s 11
1940s
11 births
- 1960s 10
1960s
10 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s
1980s
41 births
- 1990s
1990s
91 births
- 2000s
2000s
58 births
- 2010s 19
2010s
19 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 91 births (30% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ishmeal? ▼
301 babies have been named Ishmeal since 1916. It was last recorded in 2017. The peak year was 1997 with 14 births.
When was Ishmeal most popular? ▼
Ishmeal was most popular in the 1990s decade with 91 total births. The single peak year was 1997.
How long has the name Ishmeal been used? ▼
Records for Ishmeal go back to 1916, giving 102 years of history through 2017.
What names are similar to Ishmeal? ▼
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 Ishmeal's data
- Ishmeal's decade-level peak was the 1990s (91 total births); usage has since declined to 19 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 Ishmeal
Nearby Names Like Ishmeal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ishmeal
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 Ishmeal side by side: Ishmeal vs Ishmael Ishmeal vs Ishaan Ishmeal vs Ishan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1916–2017 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ishmeal: Baby Name Since 1916 - 301 Births, Peak 1997." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ishmeal. 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 Ishmeal 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 June 2026.