Ismail (name)

Ismail (إسماعيل) is an Arabic given name. It corresponds to the English name Ishmael.

Etymology and meaning
The literal translation of the name Ismail is "heard by God" and according to Abrahamic tradition, it refers to the yearning of Abraham and his wife, Sarah, to have a child. Ismail's mother, however, was not Sarah, but Hagar, Sarah's maidservant, who Sarah gave to Abraham as a concubine because she was unable to have a child. Sarah later does give birth to a son, Isaac.

According to Genesis, the name is given by God as He heard the cries of Hagar who had been mistreated by Sarah after becoming pregnant and run away.

According to Islamic tradition, Ismail's mother, Hagar was also a full wife of the Prophet Abraham.

Given name

 * Ismail, son of Ibrahim
 * Ismail ibn Abd Allah ibn Abi al-Muhajir, governor of North Africa under the Umayyad Caliphate
 * Isma'il ibn Jafar, Imam of Ismaili Shia's
 * Isma'il ibn Musa al-Hadi was an Abbasid prince, son of caliph Al-Hadi (r. 785–786). Nephew and son-in-law of caliph Harun al-Rashid (r. 786–809)
 * Ismail ibn Musa Menk, Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe
 * Isma'il ibn Jaʽfar al-Mutawakkil, was an Abbasid prince, son of caliph Al-Mutawakkil (r. 847—861)
 * Ismail of Ghazni, Emir of Ghazna, brother of Mahmud of Ghazni
 * Ismail of Johor (reigned 1959–1981), sultan of Johor
 * Saint Ismael Orthodox Christian Saint
 * Ignatius Ismail ((r. 1333 – 1365/1366)), Syriac Orthodox patriarch of Mardin
 * Ismail I (1487–1524), the first king and founder of the Safavid dynasty
 * Ismail II (r. 1576–1577) third King of Safavid State
 * Ismaïl Aaneba (born 1999), French footballer
 * Ismail Abdallah, Egyptian gymnast
 * Ismail Abilov (born 1951), Bulgarian freestyle wrestler
 * Ismail Sabri Abdullah (1924–2006), Egyptian economist and politician
 * Ismail Abdul-Ganiyu (born 1996), Ghanaian footballer
 * Ismail Abdul Rahman, Malaysian politician; former deputy prime minister
 * Ismail Abdul Razak (born 1989), Ghanaian footballer
 * Ismail Abdullaiev, Ukrainian and Russian TV director
 * Ismail Abdullatif (born 1986), Bahraini footballer
 * Ismail Abu (born 1984), Malaysian field hockey player
 * Ismail Abu Shanab (1950–2003), Hamas politician
 * İsmail Acar (born 1971), Turkish painter
 * Ismail Adham (1911–1940), Egyptian writer and literary critic
 * Ismail Adil Shah (1498–1534), 2nd Sultan of Bijapur
 * Ismail Ahmad (born 1956), Malaysian politician
 * Ismail Ahmed, multiple people
 * Ismail Ahmedov, 10th Multi of the Religious Council of the Caucasus
 * Ismail Akbay (1930–2003), Turkish scientist
 * İsmail Rüştü Aksal, Turkish civil servant and politician
 * Ismail Al-Ajmi (born 1984), Omani footballer
 * Ismail Al-Amour (born 1984), Palestinian footballer
 * Ismail Al Hammadi (born 1988), Emirati footballer
 * Ismail Al-Karaghouli (born 1943), Iraqi wrestler
 * Ismail Al-Sabiani (born 1989), Saudi Arabian sprinter
 * Ismail Al-Zaabi (born 2001), Emirati association football player
 * Ismail Ali Abakor, Somali Politician and Major General
 * Ismail Amat (1935–2018), Chinese politician
 * Ismail Amirkhizi, Iranian author and constitutional intellectual
 * İsmail Arca (born 1948), Turkish footballer and manager
 * Ismail as-Sadr, Lebanese Grand Ayatollah
 * Ismail Faruqi Asha'ri (born 1986), Malaysian footballer
 * Ismail Atalan (born 1980), German-Turkish football manager
 * İsmail Ateş, Turkish artist and professor
 * İsmail Ayaz (born 1995), Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Ayob, South African lawyer
 * Ismaïl Ayoune (born 1987), Moroccan cyclist
 * Ismail Omar Abdul Aziz (1911–1994), Malaysian Muslim scholar
 * Ismail Azzaoui (born 1998), Belgian footballer
 * Ismail al-Armouti (died 2013), Jordanian politician
 * Ismail al-Atrash (died 1869), Druze sheikh
 * Ismail al-Azhari (1900–1969), president of Sudan
 * Ismail al-Din, Egyptian politician
 * Ismail al-Faruqi (1921–1986), Palestinian American Islamic scholar
 * Ismail al-Jazari (1136–1206), Muslim engineer and artist
 * Ismail al-Khalidi al-Minangkabawi, Islamic scholar
 * Ismail al-Zahir, 1st Dhulnunid Emir of Toledo Taifa
 * Ismail Ba (born 1974), Senegalese former football midfielder
 * Esmail Babolian, Iranian numerical analyst
 * Ismail Balanga, South Sudanese football manager
 * Ismail Balkhi (1918–1968), Afghan politician
 * Ismail Bawa (born 1947), Ghanaian politician
 * İsmail Baydil (born 1988), Turkish footballer
 * İsmail Bayram (born 1954), Turkish weightlifter
 * Isma'il Beg, Uyghur rebel leader
 * Ismaïl Belkacemi, Algerian footballer
 * Ismail Belmaalem (born 1988), Moroccan defender
 * Ismaïl Benyamina (born 1983), Algerian footballer
 * Ismail Berdiyev (born 1954), Russian Karachay-Cherkess mufti
 * İsmail Beşikçi, Turkish scholar
 * İsmail Bilen (1902–1983), Turkish politician
 * Ismail Boçari (1917–2014), Albanian professor of medicine
 * Ismail Bouneb (born 2006), French footballer
 * İsmail Budak (born 1992), German footballer
 * Ismail Bulatov (1902–1975), Soviet Crimean Tatar major general
 * İsmail Çağlar Bayırcı, Turkish politician
 * Ismail Cachalia, multiple people
 * İsmail Cem (1940–2007), Turkish politician
 * İsmail Cem Ulusoy, Turkish basketball player
 * Ismail Changezi (1954–2019), Pakistani TV actor
 * Ismail Chirine (1919–1994), Egyptian Royal diplomat
 * İsmail Çipe (born 1995), Turkish association football player
 * İsmail Çokçalış (born 2000), Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Dahqani (born 1991), Qatari Irani footballer
 * Ismail Damit, Bruneian politician and architect
 * Ismail Darbar (born 1964), Indian composer
 * Ismail Daut (1956–2022), Malaysian politician and lecturer
 * Esmail Davarfar, Iranian actor
 * Ismail Dawood (born 1976), English cricketer
 * İsmail Demirci, Turkish actor
 * İsmail Demiriz (born 1962), Turkish footballer and manager
 * Ismail Diakhité (born 1991), Mauritanian footballer
 * Ismail Dibirov (born 2004), Russian footballer
 * Ismail Easa (born 1989), Maldivian footballer
 * Ismail Ebrahim (1946–2020), South African cricketer
 * Ismail Ediyev (born 1988), Russian footballer
 * İsmail Ege Şaşmaz, Turkish actor
 * Ismail El-Gawsaqi (1929–2009), Egyptian politician
 * Ismail El Haddad, Moroccan footballer
 * Ismail El Shafei (born 1947), Egyptian tennis player
 * Ismail Elfath (born 1982), Moroccan-born American soccer referee
 * İsmail Enver, Turkish military officer
 * İsmail Erez (1919–1975), Turkish diplomat
 * Ismail Ergashev (1945–2018), Uzbek general
 * İsmail Ertekin (born 1959), Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Ertug (born 1975), German politician
 * İsmail Fenni Ertuğrul, Turkish politician
 * Ismail Essam, Egyptian archer
 * Ismail el Abassi (born 1983), Dutch politician
 * Ismail Fahd Ismail (1940–2018), Kuwaiti novelist, short story writer and literary critic
 * Ismail Fahmi (1922–1997), Egyptian diplomat
 * İsmail Faikoğlu, Turkish wrestler
 * Ismail Fazıl Pasha (1856–1921), Turkish politician
 * Ismail Feyzullabeyli (1925–2008), Azerbaijani writer
 * İsmail Firdevs (1888–1937), Crimean Tatar Bolshevik revolutionary
 * İsmail Galib (1848–1895), ottoman numismatist
 * Ismail Gamadiid (1960–2020), Somali politician
 * Ismail Gasprinsky (1851–1914), Crimean Tatar intellectual, educator, publisher and politician
 * Ismail Ghazali, Moroccan writer
 * İsmail Özgür Göktaş, Turkish footballer
 * Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (born 1946), President of Djibouti since 1999
 * İsmail Güldüren, Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Gulgee (1926–2007), Pakistani artist
 * İsmail Güven, Turkish footballer
 * İsmail Güzel, Turkish Greco-Roman wrestler
 * İsmail Hacıoğlu, Turkish actor
 * İsmail Hakkı, multiple people
 * Ismail Haniyeh (born 1963), Palestinian politician
 * Ismail Haqqi Bursevi (1653–1725), Ottoman Sufi scholar
 * Ismail Haron (1946–2012), Singaporean musical artist
 * Ismail Hasan Metareum (1929–2005), Indonesian politician
 * Ismail Hasham, Indian businessman
 * Ismail Hassan (born 1987), Djoboutian footballer
 * Ismail Hossain, multiple people
 * Ismail Hoxha, Albanian politician Professor Ph.D University " La Sapienza" Rome
 * Ismail Mahmud Hurre (1943–2023), Somalian politician
 * Ismail Hussain (1950–2015), Indian politician
 * Ismail Ibrahim (1932–2020), Pakistani cricketer
 * Ismail Isa (born 1989), Bulgarian footballer
 * Ismail Isakov (born 1950), Kyrgyzstani general
 * Ismail Ismaili (born 1981), Macedonian association football player
 * Ismail Izzani, musical artist
 * Ismail Jakobs (born 1999), Senegalese footballer
 * Ismail Jilaoui (born 1978), Moroccan dressage rider
 * Ismail Juma (1991–2017), Tanzanian long-distance runner
 * Ismail Jumaih, Maldivian performer
 * Ismail Jussa (born 1971), Zanzibari politician
 * Ismail Kadare (1936—2024), Albanian novelist, poet, essayist, and playwright
 * İsmail Kahraman (born 1940), 27th Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey
 * Ismail Kamara (born 1997), Sierra Leonean sprinter
 * İsmail Kartal, Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Kassim (1959–2023), Malaysian politician
 * Ismail Katamba (born 1987), Ugandan weightlifter
 * İsmail Keleş (born 1988), Turkish sport shooter
 * Ismail Kemal (1844–1919), founder and first head of state of the Albanian state
 * Ismail Keta (born 1976), Albanian kickboxer
 * Ismail Khafi (born 1995), Moroccan footballer
 * Ismail Khalidi (writer), American dramatist
 * Ismail Khalil (born 1957), Iraqi boxer
 * Ismail Khalinbekov (born 1985), Russian footballer
 * Ismail Khan (born 1946), Afghan politician and former warlord
 * Ismail Khan Ibrahim Khan (1905–2000), Malaysian barrister and judge
 * Ismail Khan, 16th-century Bengali nobleman
 * Ismail Khan Nakhchivanski (1819–1909), Russian Imperial army officer
 * Ismail Khan Qashqai, Qashqai chieftain in 18th-century Iran
 * Ismail Khan Ziyadkhanov, Azerbaijani politician
 * Ismail Khandan, ruler of Khwarazm from 1035 to 1041
 * Ismail Kijo (1952–2021), Malaysian politician
 * İsmail Konuk, Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Korgoloyev (born 1994), Russian footballer
 * İsmail Köse, Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Kouha (born 1983), Moroccan footballer
 * İsmail Köybaşı (born 1989), Turkish footballer
 * Esmail Koushan, Iranian film director
 * İsmail Küçükkaya, Turkish journalist, news anchor and writer
 * İsmail Kurt (1934–2017), Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Lasim, Malaysian politician
 * Ismail Liban, Somali footballer
 * Ismail Lika, Albanian mobster
 * Ismail Lleshi (born 1947), Albanian politician
 * Ismail Mačev (1960–2019), Macedonian sprinter
 * Ismail Mahdi (born 2003), American football running back
 * Ismail Mahfooz, Maldivian footballer
 * Ismail Mahomed (1931–2000), Chief Justice of South Africa from 1997 to 2000
 * Ismaïl Mansouri (born 1988), Algerian footballer
 * Ismail Marahimin (1934–2008), Indonesian writer
 * Ismail Mardanli (born 1987), Qatari footballer
 * Ismail Marjan (1920–1991), Malayan-Singaporean badminton player
 * Ismail Marzuki (1914–1958), Indonesian composer, songwriter, and musician
 * Ismail Mashal, Afghan educator
 * Ismail Matar (born 1983), Emirati footballer
 * İsmail Müştak Mayakon, Turkish politician
 * Esmail Merat, Iranian politician
 * Ismail Merathi, Indian poest and educationist
 * Ismail Merchant (1936–2005), Indian film producer
 * Ismail Mire (1862–1950), Somali commander and poet
 * Ismaïl Moalla (born 1990), Tunisian volleyball player
 * Ismail Mohamed, multiple people
 * Ismail Molla (1938–2020), Greek politician
 * Ismail Morina (born 1990), Kosovar-Albanian footballer
 * Ismail Moutaraji (born 2000), Moroccan professional footballer
 * Ismail ibn Musa Menk (born 1975), Zimbabwean Islamic scholar
 * Ismail Musukaev (born 1993), Hungarian freestyle wrestler
 * Ismail Muttalib (born 1954), Malaysian politician
 * Ismail Qasim Naji, Somali politician
 * Ismail Nasirudden of Terengganu, Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1965 to 1970
 * Ismail Naurdiev (born 1996), Austrian mixed martial arts fighter
 * (born 2003), Turkish hurdler and sprinter
 * Ismail Nikoçi (1876–1919), Albanian political activist
 * İsmail Haktan Odabaşı, Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Ogama (born 1985), Ugandan politician
 * İsmail Ogan (1933–2022), Turkish sport wrestler
 * Ismail Omar (born 1953), Malaysian police officer
 * Ismail Omar (footballer) (born 1992), Saudi Arabian footballer
 * Ismail Othman, Malaysian politician
 * Ismaïl Ouro-Agoro (born 1996), Togolese footballer
 * İsmail Özden, Yazidi Kurdish rebels
 * İsmail Özdağlar (born 1950), Turkish politician and former government minister
 * Ismail Pasha, multiple people
 * Ismail Patel, British optician
 * Ismail Petra of Kelantan (reigned 1979–2010), sultan of Kelantan
 * Ismail Poonawala (born 1937), Indian academic
 * Ismail Rabee (born 1983), Emirati footballer
 * Ismail Rafaat (1912–2004), Egyptian footballer
 * Ismail Ragab (1921–?), Egyptian weightlifter
 * Ismail Rahoo (born 1962), Pakistani politician
 * Ismail Rama (born 1935), Albanian sport shooter
 * Ismail Ramsey, American lawyer
 * Ismail Khilath Rasheed, Maldivian blogger
 * Ismail Rasheed (born 1976), Maldivian film actor and director
 * Ismail Rashid Ismail (born 1972), Emirati footballer
 * Ismail Richards, South African politician
 * Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Malaysian politician who served as the ninth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2021 to 2022
 * Ismail Salleh (born 1963), Malaysian politician
 * Ismail Samani, Amir of the Samanids
 * Ismail Sani, Malaysian politician
 * Ismail Sassi (born 1991), Tunisian footballer
 * İsmail Saymaz (born 1980), Turkish journalist
 * Ismail Shafeeu, Maldivian politician
 * Ismail Shah, multiple people
 * Ismail Shahid (born 1955), Pakistani actor and comedian
 * Ismail Ibn Sharif, Moroccan sultan
 * Ismail Mohammed Sharif (born 1962), Iraqi footballer
 * Esmail Shooshtari, Iranian politician
 * Ismail Siddiq (1830–1876), Egyptian politician
 * Ismail Sidky (1875–1950), Prime Minister of Egypt
 * Ismail Sillakh (born 1985), Ukrainian boxer
 * Ismail Smith-Wade-El, American politician
 * Ismail Strazimiri, Albanian resistance member
 * Ismail Suko (1932–2011), Indonesian politician
 * Ismail Tara (1949–2022), Pakistani actor and comedian
 * İsmail Metin Temel, Turkish former general
 * İsmail Temiz (born 1954), Turkish wrestler
 * Ismail Tiliwaldi (born 1944), Chinese politician
 * Ismail Tipi (1959–2023), Turkish-born German journalist and politician
 * İsmail Türüt, Turkish singer
 * Ismail Vadi, South African politician
 * Ismail Asif Waheed (born 1968), Maldivian sprinter
 * Ismail Wajeeh (born 1962), Maldivian actor and choreographer
 * Ismail Watenga (born 1995), Ugandan footballer
 * Ismail Yakubu (born 1985), Nigerian footballer
 * Ismail Yassine (1912–1972), Egyptian comedian actor
 * Ismaïl Yıldırım (born 1990), Dutch footballer
 * İsmail YK (born 1978), Turkish German singer
 * Ismail Youssef (born 1964), Egyptian football manager
 * İsmail Yüksek (born 1999), Turkish footballer
 * Ismail Yunos (born 1986), Singaporean footballer
 * Ismail Yuseinov (born 1948), Bulgarian wrestler
 * Ismail Yusupov (1914–2005), Soviet politician and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan
 * Esmail Zanjani, American academic
 * İsmail Zehir (born 2003), Turkish footballer
 * İsmail Zühdi Efendi, Ottoman calligrapher

Middle name

 * Ahmad ibn Isma'il ibn Ali al-Hashimi was provincial governor who was active in the late eighth century.
 * Ahmad Ismail Ali (1917–1974), Egyptian army officer
 * Ammar Ismail Yahia Ibrahim (born 1996), Qatari sprinter

Surname or patronymic

 * Abu Isma'il ibn Harun, was the son of Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid
 * Adel Ismail (historian) (1928–2010), Lebanese diplomat and historian
 * Ahmed Abu Ismail (1915–2013), Egyptian economist and politician
 * Abdul Fattah Ismail (1934-1986), Yemeni politician
 * Atik Ismail (born 1957), Finnish footballer
 * Dhurgham Ismail, Iraqi football player
 * Gulalai Ismail, Pashtun women's rights activist
 * Hamid Ismail, Qatari footballer
 * Hesham Ismail, American football player
 * Mahmoud Ismail (1914–1983), Egyptian actor, filmmaker
 * Mohammed Ismail, Afghan Guantanamo Bay detainee
 * Mourad Ismail, Egyptian Mathematician
 * Mustafa Ismail, Egyptian Qur'an reciter
 * Mustafa Osman Ismail, Sudanese politician
 * Nabawi Ismail, Egyptian politician
 * Ibrahim Artan Ismail Somali politician, former Minister of Security of Puntland
 * Qadry Ismail, an NCAA and NFL football player
 * Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, an NCAA and NFL football player
 * Rami Ismail, Dutch game developer
 * Salma Ismail (1918–2014), Malaysian doctor
 * Sam Esmail, Egyptian-American screenwriter
 * Sariamin Ismail, Indonesian novelist
 * Shabnim Ismail (born 1988), South African cricketer
 * Shaker Ismail, Iraqi football player
 * Sherif Ismail (1955–2023), Egyptian engineer and politician
 * Sulaiman Ismail, an Arena Football League player
 * Taufiq Ismail, Indonesian poet and activist
 * Usmar Ismail, director and pioneer of Indonesian film