Meaning: Its source is Yishmael, a Hebrew name meaning "God hears."

Languages: This boy's name is used in Arabic and Urdu.

Source Forms: Yishmael

Narrative: Ismail is equivalent to the English name Ishmael.

According to Islamic tradition, Ismail, son of Ibrahim (Abraham), was the patriarch of the Arab people. (The Jews are descendants of his brother Isaac.)

Ismail's mother was Hagar, Ibrahim's concubine. Due to the influence of Sarah, Ibrahim's jealous wife, Hagar and her son were abandoned in the desert. God intervened to provide them with life-saving water.

Later, Ibrahim joined Ismail to build the temple at Mecca sacred to all Moslems. Known as the Kaaba, it contains a black stone Ibrahim received from the angel Gabriel. Moslems around the world face toward the Kaaba when praying.