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.
- #10,553 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 301
- born since 1916
- 1990s
- peak 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.
- #10,553 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 301 born since 1916
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ishmeal ranks #10,553 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 301 born since 1916, peaking in the 1990s.
- #10,553 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 301
- born since 1916
- 1990s
- peak decade
Ishmeal's 301 recorded births place it above 76.76% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
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 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
1990s is the heaviest window (91 births, 30% of the file).
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? ▼
Where does Ishmeal sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Ishmeal most popular? ▼
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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.
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
Compare Ishmeal side by side: Ishmeal vs Ishmael Ishmeal vs Ishaan Ishmeal 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 Ishmeal: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1997)
Similar record span (~101 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, 1916–2017 (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 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 August 2026.