Ismail

Origin and meaning of Ismail

Ismail (إسماعيل) is the Arabic form of the Hebrew Yishma'el, 'God hears' or 'God has heard', from the verb shama, to listen. In Islamic tradition he is the firstborn son of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Hagar, ancestor of the Arab tribes and a central figure in the pilgrimage to Mecca, where the Quranic account says the well of Zamzam sprang forth to quench the boy's thirst. One of the most widespread and beloved names across the Muslim world for centuries, it pairs deep spiritual meaning with a solemn sound recognizable in many languages.