Boy name
İsmail name meaning
“God has heard; God heard the prayer”
İsmail means God has heard or God heard the prayer. It comes through Arabic Ismāʿīl from Hebrew Yishmael, combining the verb for hearing with El, meaning God. Used as a masculine name in Türkiye, it recalls the Quranic account of Ismail raising the Kaaba’s foundations with Ibrahim.
- Gender
- ♂ Boy
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Syllables
- 3
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does İsmail mean?
God has heard; God heard the prayer
In Turkish: Tanrı işitti, duayı duydu
İsmail names Abraham's son and one of the prophets mentioned in the Quran. Islamic accounts associate him with raising the foundations of the Kaaba alongside Abraham. The name's reference to hearing suggests an answered prayer; English Ishmael is another form of the same name.
How popular is İsmail?
Official figures: TÜİK newborn name lists (2018–2025, the top 30 for Türkiye and each of the 81 provinces every year) and the most common names in the population.
- Province lists
- 59provinces
- Boys named İsmail in Türkiye (2025)
- 434,992
Where is İsmail in the top 30?
59 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
Double names with İsmail
Double names counted as one name in TÜİK newborn lists (all years and provinces combined).
Source: TurkStat (TÜİK), Address-Based Population Registration System. The lists cover the top 30 names per year, sex and province; no official counts are published for less common names. All statistics →
Why is İsmail popular?
İsmail has the established resonance of a prophetic name, with a meaning referring to a prayer being heard. It stays outside the top thirty throughout the supplied years, showing no rise in these data.
Origin of the name İsmail
İsmail comes through Arabic Ismāʿīl from Hebrew Yishmael. The Hebrew name combines a form of the verb to hear with El, meaning God.
| Linguistic origin | Hebrew, Arabic |
|---|---|
| Naming tradition | Islamic |
| In Islamic history | Names found in the Quran, Names of prophets |
| In Turkic history and myth | Names from Turkic epics |
| Is İsmail in the Quran? | Yes, as a name · إسماعيل · 2:127, 19:54Ismail is named in the Quran as a messenger and prophet, and appears alongside Ibrahim in the account of the Kaaba. |
| Starts with | İ · İs |
Names are shared across communities. Where a name is common says nothing certain about any one person’s background, faith or origin.
Double names with İsmail
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
İsmail Muhittin
Meaning of each name
- İsmail: God has heard; God heard the prayer
- Muhittin: reviver of the faith; one who renews religion
-
Kamber İsmail
Meaning of each name
- Kamber: Lark; crested lark
- İsmail: God has heard; God heard the prayer
-
İsmail Buğrahan
Meaning of each name
- İsmail: God has heard; God heard the prayer
- Buğrahan: a ruler bearing the title Buğra
-
Muhlis İsmail
Meaning of each name
- Muhlis: sincere, wholehearted, devoted
- İsmail: God has heard; God heard the prayer
-
İsmail Feyzi
Meaning of each name
- İsmail: God has heard; God heard the prayer
- Feyzi: relating to abundance, blessing, or inspiration
-
Abdulkadir İsmail
Meaning of each name
- Abdulkadir: servant of the All-Powerful
- İsmail: God has heard; God heard the prayer
Double names found in TÜİK’s newborn lists: İsmail Efe, İsmail Asaf, İsmail Ege, İsmail Aras, İsmail Eren, İsmail Emir.
How to pronounce İsmail
| Syllables | 3 · 6 letters · 6-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /ismail/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | اسماعیل |
| Arabic | إسماعيل |
Is İsmail a boy’s name?
Yes, İsmail is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
İsmail appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Spellings covered by this page: Ismail, Ismaıl, İsmâil, Îsmaîl
Names that sound like İsmail
Names with related meanings
- Yusuf♂May God add
- Abdullah♂Servant of God
- Abdulkadir♂Servant of the All-Powerful
- Abdurrahman♂Servant of the Most Merciful
- Samet♂Self-sufficient
- İlyas♂My God is Yahweh
- Abdülhamid♂Servant of God, the Praiseworthy
- Nurullah♂God's light
- Beytullah♂The House of God
- Emrullah♂God's command or decree
- Mikail♂Who is like God?
- Abdulsamet♂Servant of Allah, the Self-Sufficient
Famous people named İsmail
- İsmail Köybaşı · b. 1989
- İsmail Yüksek · b. 1999
- İsmail Kartal · b. 1961
- İsmail Oğan · b. 1933
- İsmail Kahraman · b. 1940
- İsmail Küçükkaya · b. 1970
- İsmail Beşikci · b. 1939
- İsmail Cem İpekçi · b. 1940
- İsmail Hacıoğlu · b. 1985
- İsmail Hakkı Bey · b. 1865
- İsmail Demirci · b. 1984
- İsmail Nezir · b. 2003
FAQ about the name İsmail
What is the meaning of İsmail?
İsmail means “God has heard; God heard the prayer”. İsmail comes through Arabic Ismāʿīl from Hebrew Yishmael. The Hebrew name combines a form of the verb to hear with El, meaning God.
Is İsmail a boy’s name?
Yes, İsmail is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is İsmail in the Quran?
Yes, as a name. Ismail is named in the Quran as a messenger and prophet, and appears alongside Ibrahim in the account of the Kaaba. (e.g.: 2:127, 19:54)
What is the origin of the name İsmail?
İsmail is of Hebrew and Arabic origin.
How many syllables does İsmail have?
İsmail has 3 syllables and 6 letters.
How popular is the name İsmail?
İsmail appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What are other spellings of İsmail?
Other spellings: Ismail, Ismaıl, İsmâil, Îsmaîl.
What names go well with İsmail?
Some ideas: İsmail Muhittin; Kamber İsmail; İsmail Buğrahan.
Famous people named İsmail?
Notable people named İsmail include İsmail Köybaşı, İsmail Yüksek, İsmail Kartal.
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm00016 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake