Ismail, Esmael, Esmaeel, Esmail, İsmail, or Ismaïl () is a masculine given name of Arabic origin. It corresponds to the English name Ishmael. Notable people with the name include:
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 Esmail Sohikish, Iranian tennis player Esmail Zanjani, American academic
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 Ismail Abdullatif (born 1986), Bahraini footballer Ismail Abilov (born 1951), Bulgarian freestyle wrestler Ismail Ali Abokor (born 1937), Somali politician and major general Ismail Abu (born 1984), Malaysian field hockey player Ismail Adham (1911–1940), Egyptian writer and literary critic Ismail Ahmad (born 1956), Malaysian politician Ismail Ahmad (basketball) (born 1976), Egyptian-Lebanese basketball player Ismail ibn al-Ahmar, Andalusian historian Ismail Ahmed (businessman) (born 1960), Somali-British entrepreneur Ismail Ahmed (footballer, born 1983) (born 1983), Moroccan-Emirati footballer Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed (born 1960), Mauritanian diplomat and politician Ismail Ahmedani (1930–2007), Pakistani novelist Ismail Ahmedov (1907–1986), Russian Islamic scholar Ismail Akbay (1930–2003), Turkish scientist Ismail Al-Ajmi (born 1984), Omani footballer Ismail Alam (1868–1937), Bengali politician, teacher, and activist Ismail Alieksandrovič (1929–2024), Belarusian Islamic cleric Ismail Amat (1935–2018), Chinese politician Ismail Amirkhizi (1873–1966), Iranian author and constitutional intellectual Ismail Al-Amour (born 1984), Palestinian footballer Ismail Mumin Are, Somaliland politician Ismail al-Armouti (died 2013), Jordanian politician Ismail Faruqi Ashari (born 1986), Malaysian footballer Ismail Atalan (born 1980), German-Turkish football manager Isma'il al-Atrash (died 1869), Druze chieftain Ismail Ayob (1942–2025), South African lawyer Ismail al-Azhari (1900–1969), Sudanese politician Ismail Omar Abdul Aziz (1911–1994), Malaysian Islamic scholar Ismail Pasha al-Azm, Ottoman statesman Ismail Azzaoui (born 1998), Belgian footballer Ismail Ba (born 1974), Senegalese footballer Ismail Badruddin I (1582–1676), Indian Islamic leader Ismail Bakar (born 1960), Malaysian politician Ismail Balanga (born 1972), South Sudanese football manager Ismail Barlov (born 2010), Bosnian Paralympic swimmer Ismail Bawa (born 1947), Ghanaian politician Isma'il Beg (died 1794), Uyghur rebel leader Ismail Belmaalem (born 1988), Moroccan footballer Ismail Berdiyev (1954–2024), Russian mufti Ismail Hakkı Berkok (1890–1954), Turkish general, publicist, and historian Ismail Bey (1735–1791), Mamluk emir Ismail Boçari (1917–2014), Albanian professor of medicine Ismail Bulatov (1902–1975), Soviet Crimean Tatar major general Isma'il ibn Bulbul (844/45–891), Abbasid Caliphate official Ismail Haqqi Bursevi (1653–1725), Ottoman Sufi scholar Ismail Ahmed Cachalia (1908–2003), South African political activist Ismail Mahomed Cachalia (born 1929), South African politician Ismail Changezi (1954–2019), Pakistani TV actor Ismail Chirine (1919–1994), Egyptian royal diplomat Ismail Faruque Chowdhury (born 1953), Bangladeshi Army general Ismail Dahqani (born 1991), Qatari footballer Ismail Damit, Bruneian politician and architect Ismail Darbar (born 1964), Indian composer Ismail Daut (1956–2022), Malaysian politician and lecturer Ismail Dawood (born 1976), English cricketer Ismail Diakhité (born 1991), Mauritanian footballer Ismail Dibirov (born 2004), Russian footballer Ismail al-Din, Egyptian politician Ismail Easa (born 1989), Maldivian footballer Ismail Ebrahim (1946–2020), South African cricketer Ismail Ediyev (born 1988), Russian footballer Ismail Elfath (born 1982), Moroccan-born American football referee Ismail Ergashev (1945–2018), Uzbek general Ismail Ertug (born 1975), German politician Ismail Essam (born 1967), Egyptian archer Ismail Fahmi (1922–1997), Egyptian diplomat Ismail Mustafa al-Falaki (1825–1901), Egyptian astronomer and mathematician Ismail al-Faruqi (1921–1986), Palestinian-American Islamic scholar Ismail Feyzullabeyli (1925–2008), Azerbaijani writer Ismail Gamadiid (1960–2020), Somali politician Ismail Gangji (1788–1883), Indian Islamic religious leaders Ismail Gasprinsky (1851–1914), Crimean Tatar intellectual, educator, publisher, and politician Ismail El-Gawsaqi (1929–2009), Egyptian politician Ismail Ghazali (born 1977), Moroccan writer Ismail al-Ghoul (1997–2024), Palestinian journalist Ismail El Gizouli, Sudanese civil servant Ismail Qemali Gramshi, Albanian politician Ismail Gulgee (1926–2007), Pakistani artist Ismail El Haddad (born 1990), Moroccan footballer Ismail Ahmed Rajab Al Hadidi (born 1955), Iraqi Kurdish politician Ismail Al Hammadi (born 1988), Emirati footballer Ismail Haniyeh (1963–2024), Palestinian politician Ismail Haron (1946–2012), Singaporean musical artist Ismail Hasham, Indian businessman Isma'il ibn Isa ibn Musa al-Hashimi, Abbasid personage and governor of Egypt Isma'il ibn Salih ibn Ali al-Hashimi, Abbasid governor of Egypt and Aleppo Ismail Qureshi al Hashmi (1260–1349), Indian Sufi and Islamic scholar Ismail Hassan (born 1987), Djiboutian footballer Ismail Abu Hatab (1993–2025), Palestinian photojournalist and filmmaker Ismail H'Maidat (born 1995), Dutch-Moroccan footballer Ismail Hoxha, Albanian politician Ismail Mahmud Hurre (1943–2023), Somali politician Ismail Hussain (1950–2015), Indian politician Ismail Hutson (1938–2012), Malaysian actor Ismail Ibrahim (1932–2020), Pakistani cricketer Ismail ibn Ibrahim (756–810), Iranian Hadith scholar Ismail Isa (born 1989), Bulgarian footballer Ismail Isakov (born 1950), Kyrgyzstani general Ismail Ahmed Ismail (born 1984), Sudanese middle-distance runner Ismail Ali Ismail, Somali writer and former diplomat Ismail Fahd Ismail (1940–2018), Kuwaiti novelist, short story writer, and literary critic Ismail Rashid Ismail (born 1972), Emirati footballer Ismail Ismaili (born 1981), Macedonian footballer Ismail Ismailov, Turkmen general Ismail Izzani (born 2000), Malaysian singer, songwriter, and actor Isma'il Pasha Abu Jabal (died 1883), Egyptian military and political leader Isma'il ibn Jafar, Imam of Ismaili Shia's Ismail Jakobs (born 1999), Senegalese footballer Ismail Jan, Pakistani footballer Ismail al-Jazari (1136–1206), Arab engineer and artist Ismail Jilani, Pakistani director, film maker, media activist, and Pakistani Army officer Ismail Jilaoui (born 1978), Moroccan dressage rider Ismail Johari (1947–2017), Malaysian author Ismail Juma (1991–2017), Tanzanian long-distance runner Ismail Jumaih (born 1991), Maldivian performer Ismail Jussa (born 1971), Zanzibari politician Ismail Kadare (1936–2024), Albanian novelist, poet, essayist, and playwright Ismail Kalebudde (1937–2024), Indian politician Ismail Kamara (born 1997), Sierra Leonean sprinter Ismail Kamoka (born 1966), Libyan diplomat Ismail Al-Karaghouli (born 1943), Iraqi wrestler Ismail Kassim (1959–2023), Malaysian politician Ismail Katamba (born 1987), Ugandan weightlifter Ismail Keta (born 1976), Albanian kickboxer Ismail Khafi (born 1995), Moroccan footballer Ismail al-Khalfan (born 1981), Syrian academic and professor Ismail Khalidi (1916–1968), Palestinian writer and diplomat Ismail Khalidi (writer) (born 1982), 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 (fighter) (born 2002), Pakistani mixed martial artist Ismail Khan (Moghul khan), Khan of Yarkand and Kashgar Ismail Khan (Pakistani politician), Pakistani politician Ismail Khan of Bengal, Bengali nobleman Ismail Hossain Khan, Indian politician Ismail Khan Ibrahim Khan (1905–2000), Malaysian barrister and judge Ismail Khandan, ruler of Khwarazm Ismail Sulemanji Khatri (1937–2014), Indian craftsman Ismail Kijo (1952–2021), Malaysian politician Ismail Korgoloyev (born 1994), Russian footballer Ismail Kouha (born 1983), Moroccan footballer Ismail Lasim (born 1963), Malaysian politician Ismail Lghazaoui (born 1990), Moroccan human rights activist and agricultural engineer Ismail Liban (born 2001), Somali footballer Ismail Lika, Kosovar-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), South African judge 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 (born 1986), Afghan educator Ismail Matar (born 1983), Emirati footballer Ismail ibn Musa Menk (born 1975), Zimbabwean Islamic scholar Ismail Merathi (1844–1917), Indian poet and educationist Ismail Merchant (1936–2005), Indian film producer Ismail Hasan Metareum (1929–2005), Indonesian politician Isma'il Mexsut (1932–2017), Chinese politician Ismail Oulad M'Hand (born 2005), Dutch footballer Ismail al-Khalidi al-Minangkabawi, Indonesian Islamic scholar Ismail Mire (1862–1950), Somali commander and poet Ismail Mohamed, multiple people Ismail Hassan Mohamed (1936–2026), Egyptian economist Ismail Selim Mohamed (born 1944), Egyptian basketball player