Ismail

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

Esmaeel

Esmaeel Azar (born 1944), Iranian writer

Esmaeel Khalaj (born 1936), Iranian writer, director, and actor

Esmael

Esmael Barari (born 1965), Iranian filmmaker

Esmael Mangudadatu (born 1968), Filipino politician

Esmail

Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam (born 1961), Iranian military officer

Esmail Babolian (born 1946), Iranian numerical analyst

Esmail Baghaei (born 1975), Iranian diplomat

Esmail Bakhshi (born 1983), Iranian activist and political prisoner

Esmail Daghayeghi (1954–1987), Iranian military commander

Esmail Davarfar (1933–2008), Iranian actor

Esmail Momtaz od-Dowleh (1880–1933), Iranian statesman

Esmail Farivar (1927–2011), Iranian politician

Esmail Halali (born 1973), Iranian football player and manager

Esmail Jalayer, Iranian painter

Esmail Khoi (1938–2021), Iranian poet and writer

Esmail Koushan (1917–1981), Iranian film director

Esmail Mehrabi (born 1944), Iranian actor

Esmail Merat (1893–1949), Iranian politician

Esmail Mohammad (born 1960), Afghan boxer

Esmail Qaani (1957–2025), Iranian brigadier general

Esmail Rangraz (1975–2017), Iranian serial killer

Esmail Shooshtari (1949–2024), Iranian politician

Ismail

Ismail, son of Ibrahim

Ismail of Ghazni, Emir of Ghazna, brother of Mahmud of Ghazni

Ismail of Johor (1894–1981), sultan of Johor

Isma'il of Sennar (1736–1776), ruler of the Kingdom of Sennar

Ismail I (1487–1524), Shah of Safavid Iran

Ismail I of Granada (1279–1325), Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada

Ismail II (1537–1577), Shah of Safavid Iran

Ismail II of Granada (1339–1360), Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada

Ismail III (1733–1773), Shah of Safavid Iran

Ismail III of Granada (died 1450), Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada

Ismail IV of Granada (died 1463), Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada

Ismail Abakar (born 2004), Qatari hurdler

Ismail el Abassi (born 1983), Dutch politician

Ismail Abdallah (born 1933), Egyptian gymnast

Ismail Sabri Abdullah (1924–2006), Egyptian economist and politician

Ismail Abdul-Ganiyu (born 1996), Ghanaian footballer

Ismail Abdullaiev (born 1966), Ukrainian and Russian TV director

İsmail

İsmail Acar (born 1971), Turkish painter

İsmail Akbay (1930–2003), Turkish scientist

İsmail Akçay (born 1942), Turkish athlete

İsmail Rüştü Aksal (1911–1989), Turkish civil servant and politician

İsmail Akşoy (born 1989), Turkish cyclist

İsmail Arca (born 1948), Turkish footballer and manager

İsmail Ateş (born 1960), Turkish artist and professor

İsmail Baydil (born 1988), Turkish footballer

İsmail Çağlar Bayırcı (born 1984), Turkish politician

İsmail Bayram (born 1954), Turkish weightlifter

İsmail Beşikçi (born 1939), Turkish scholar

İsmail Bilen (1902–1983), Turkish politician

İsmail Budak (born 1992), German footballer

İsmail Cem (1940–2007), Turkish politician

İsmail Çipe (born 1995), Turkish footballer

İsmail Çokçalış (born 2000), Turkish footballer

İsmail Demirci (born 1984), Turkish actor

İsmail Demiriz (born 1962), Turkish footballer and manager

İsmail Dümbüllü (1897–1973), Turkish comedy actor

Ismaïl

Ismaïl Aaneba (born 1999), French footballer

Ismaïl Aissati (born 1988), Moroccan footballer

Ismaïl Ayoune (born 1987), Moroccan cyclist

Ismaïl Belkacemi (born 1993), Algerian footballer

Ismaïl Bouneb (born 2006), French footballer

Ismaïl Fathali (born 1958), Tunisian general

Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (born 1946), Djiboutian politician

Ismaïl Haddou (born 1996), Algerian footballer

Ismaïl Khelil (1932–2017), Tunisian politician

Ismaïl Mansouri (born 1988), Algerian footballer

Ismaïl Moalla (born 1990), Tunisian volleyball player

Ismaïl Ouro-Agoro (born 1996), Togolese footballer

Ismaïl Sassi (born 1991), French footballer

Ismaïl Sbaï (born 1980), Moroccan racing driver

Ismaïl Seydi (born 2001), French footballer

Ismaïl Sghyr (born 1972), French-Moroccan long-distance runner

Ismaïl Yıldırım (born 1990), Dutch footballer

Surname

Esmail

Sam Esmail (born 1977), Egyptian-American screenwriter

Ismail

Abdul Fattah Ismail (1934–1986), Yemeni politician

Adel Ismail (historian) (1928–2010), Lebanese diplomat and historian

Ahmed Abu Ismail (1915–2013), Egyptian economist and politician

Asif Ismail (born 1970), Indian tennis player

Atik Ismail (born 1957), Finnish footballer

Dhurgham Ismail (born 1994), Iraqi footballer

Gorgis Ismail (1943–2025), Iraqi footballer

Gulalai Ismail (born 1986), Pashtun women's rights activist

Hamid Ismail (born 1986), Qatari footballer

Hesham Ismail (born 1969), American football player

Ibrahim Artan Ismail, Somali politician

Ignatius Ismail, Syriac Orthodox patriarch of Mardin

Mahmoud Ismail (1914–1983), Egyptian actor and filmmaker

Mourad Ismail (born 1944), Egyptian mathematician

Mustafa Ismail (1905–1978), Egyptian Qur'an reciter

Mustafa Osman Ismail (born 1955), Sudanese politician

Nabawi Ismail (1925–2009), Egyptian politician

Omar Yaser Ismail (born 2005), Palestinian taekwondo athlete