Boys' name · since 1916
Ishmel
297 babies named Ishmel in U.S. Social Security records since 1916, with the highest year being 2000. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #10,644 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 297
- born since 1916
- 1990s
- peak decade
Ishmel is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 297 have been recorded since 1916.
Social Security Administration records show Ishmel recorded 297 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 2022.
- #10,644 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 297 born since 1916
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ishmel ranks #10,644 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 297 born since 1916, peaking in the 1990s.
- #10,644 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 297
- born since 1916
- 1990s
- peak decade
Ishmel's 297 recorded births place it above 76.56% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Kentucky.
Ishmel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ishmel's full recorded timeline at 1991, 55% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 45% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1916, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2000 peak of 12 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ishmel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2022
- Peak year (2000)
- 12
- Annual births at peak, across 107 years of records
Ishmel by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (80 births, 27% of the file).
1990s was Ishmel's strongest decade.
80 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Ishmel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 13
1910s
13 births
- 1920s
1920s
54 births
- 1930s 19
1930s
19 births
- 1940s 10
1940s
10 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1970s 10
1970s
10 births
- 1980s 22
1980s
22 births
- 1990s
1990s
80 births
- 2000s
2000s
60 births
- 2010s 18
2010s
18 births
- 2020s 6
2020s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 80 births (27% of all-time use).
Ishmel by state
Where Ishmel concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ishmel? ▼
Where does Ishmel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Ishmel most popular? ▼
Where is Ishmel most popular? ▼
How long has the name Ishmel been used? ▼
What names are similar to Ishmel? ▼
What to do with Ishmel's data
- Ishmel's decade-level peak was the 1990s (80 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Ishmels (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ishmel
Nearby Names Like Ishmel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ishmel
Compare Ishmel side by side: Ishmel vs Ishmael Ishmel vs Ishaan Ishmel 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 Ishmel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2000)
Similar record span (~106 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, 1916–2022 (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 Ishmel 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.