I have recently taken a very long break from all things baby due to my husband and I starting IVF but I think it’s time I come back!
Most of our loved names remain the same as they always have, but I have recently started to quite like the name [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m]. I would love some of your thoughts and opinions on this, please what do you guys think? Usable in today’s society?
[name_m]Worth[/name_m] noting - Our number one boys name still remains as [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] [name_m]Tobias[/name_m]
Thank you all!
[name_f]Emily[/name_f] [name_f]Paige[/name_f]⚘
I absolutely LOVE [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m]. Seriously love it.
It’s soft yet sturdy, super uncommon yet widely familiar, has literary ties, and just sounds beautiful. I definitely think it’s usable today, and I think it would be especially fabulous paired with [name_m]Gideon[/name_m]. They have the same cool, quietly quirky Biblical vibe to me.
[name_m]Ishmael[/name_m] is a great name! I know a little [name_m]Ismael[/name_m] and he is adorable! The name is unique, but definitely usable in today’s society. It’s a great biblical name. Very elegant and strong for a boy/man.
[name_m]Ishmael[/name_m] is excellent. Distinctive, gentle, easy to say and interesting. I can see [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] and [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m] together
I absolutely love [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m]. It is one of those boy names with downy gentleness and innocence that grows and transforms with age to a strong, confident, capable man’s name. Others in the same group are [name_m]Joel[/name_m], [name_u]Jonah[/name_u], [name_u]Noah[/name_u], and [name_u]Luca[/name_u] but because of the virtues of these names each has become very popular, while one of the benefits of [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m] is that it is so much less exposed. The literary tie is a bonus.
I think the idea of [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m] being cast out and banished and not being the biological son of a consummate, fertile marriage can be troublesome if people have negative associations with the name, but the other qualities and associations win out in my book. I think it is the only way to account for the name’s under-exposure, however. Hopefully it doesn’t bother you and you’ll get a chance to use it!
I had a student named [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m] this year and it makes me feel like the name is more wearable and appealing than I might have previously thought. (The ish sound didn’t seem that attractive to me, but now that I’ve known one I’m getting used to it.) I absolutely love [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] [name_m]Tobias[/name_m], btw!
I’ve always liked [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m], I think people can use it without too much trouble, the older generations may say ‘call me [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m]’ now and then and there’s the Biblical [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m], son of [name_m]Abraham[/name_m]. I do not hear it around places there are many children playing and while we know soooo many kids… So far no [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m]… As far as I’m concerned it’s up for grabs and you might even have the only one in his life! It’s not strong in the [name_u]Nick[/name_u] name department and for that reason I do think it may do well as a middle over a first BUT I do like it as a first. Your other name I also like very much!
Thank you for all the lovely replies! I too think it surely would be usable in today’s society
Sadly, my husband has decided he doesn’t like it, so it will be put over on my list of loves never to be used. I swear, the hardest thing about names is purely finding ones you both agree on
I do appreciate all the love for [name_m]Ishmael[/name_m] though xx