Meaning & Origin
Ishmael, the first son of Abraham; traditionally the ancestor of the Arabs and a prophet of Islam.
Ismail is a boy's baby name of Arabic origin, the Arabic form of Ishmael, from Hebrew Yishma'el, meaning 'God will hear' or 'God has heard,' composed of shama (to hear) and El (God).
In Islamic tradition, Ismail is the son of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Hajar (Hagar), considered the ancestor of the Arab people and a prophet in his own right. The story of Ismail and Ibrahim building the Kaaba in Mecca makes this one of the most sacred names in Islam. Widely used across the Muslim world, it carries extraordinary prophetic heritage.