Michael Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Boy Names Like Michael

Michael Name Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: my-cuhl
See what 58 people think about Michael

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Michael Name Meaning

A long-time dominator of the baby name charts, Michael is an enduring classic for a multitude of reasons. Meaning “who is like God,” Michael has a meaning that resonates with many along a timeless feel that transcends generations.

Michael is biblical to the core, his prominence is the holy book no doubt influencing his long-standing popularity among parents. More than just a mere mention in passing, Michael is a pillar figure in Christianity, an archangel who faces the ultimate evil in Satan and banishes him from heaven and Earth for eternity.

Michael is one of those sweet spot names that has always made the charts like Matthew, James, and John. He’s familiar and friendly, a safe name choice that’ll work well regardless of where life takes him. Michael can easily be a doctor or a poet. He can explore the wilds of the world or stick to a laboratory. He’s a name without expectation, a malleable moniker that can be worn by any little one.

Spelling variations include Micheal, Mikael, and Mikhael. Diminutives of the name include Mike, Mikey, and Mick. Female variations of Michael are Michaela, Michele, and Micha. If you’re looking for a similar sound to Michael that’s a little more out there, try on Micah.

Michael Name Popularity

How popular is the name Michael? Here’s everything we know.

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	45	795	0.2258%
1911	40	1,114	0.2992%
1912	42	2,068	0.4101%
1913	42	2,566	0.4526%
1914	41	3,314	0.4755%
1915	43	4,045	0.4452%
1916	44	4,181	0.4328%
1917	44	4,257	0.4255%
1918	45	4,259	0.3968%
1919	46	3,891	0.3716%
1920	50	3,977	0.3577%
1921	47	4,170	0.3642%
1922	48	3,981	0.3573%
1923	50	3,891	0.3474%
1924	54	3,860	0.3324%
1925	55	3,744	0.3312%
1926	56	3,465	0.315%
1927	52	3,582	0.3236%
1928	53	3,575	0.3341%
1929	54	3,433	0.3314%
1930	54	3,517	0.3367%
1931	55	3,465	0.3511%
1932	54	3,595	0.3639%
1933	53	3,531	0.379%
1934	47	4,091	0.4232%
1935	41	4,898	0.504%
1936	33	5,788	0.6009%
1937	27	7,095	0.72%
1938	21	9,074	0.8864%
1939	18	10,824	1.0641%
1940	18	13,229	1.2446%
1941	16	15,931	1.4155%
1942	13	21,726	1.7205%
1943	10	24,743	1.8953%
1944	9	26,722	2.1561%
1945	9	29,899	2.4516%
1946	7	41,179	2.7907%
1947	7	50,500	3.0253%
1948	6	52,565	3.2928%
1949	5	60,039	3.7323%
1950	4	65,151	4.0464%
1951	4	72,799	4.2937%
1952	4	79,076	4.5301%
1953	3	84,177	4.7562%
1954	1	88,514	4.8421%
1955	1	88,335	4.8024%
1956	1	90,620	4.798%
1957	1	92,695	4.8171%
1958	1	90,520	4.7896%
1959	1	85,255	4.4872%
1960	2	84,183	4.443%
1961	1	86,922	4.6041%
1962	1	85,037	4.6319%
1963	1	83,789	4.6678%
1964	1	82,653	4.6956%
1965	1	81,019	4.9543%
1966	1	79,992	5.1234%
1967	1	82,445	5.4327%
1968	1	82,006	5.4613%
1969	1	85,208	5.5309%
1970	1	85,303	5.3602%
1971	1	77,591	5.1635%
1972	1	71,405	5.2426%
1973	1	67,846	5.2333%
1974	1	67,583	5.1997%
1975	1	68,454	5.3271%
1976	1	66,964	5.1957%
1977	1	67,610	5.0158%
1978	1	67,158	4.9952%
1979	1	67,733	4.8037%
1980	1	68,693	4.6981%
1981	1	68,765	4.678%
1982	1	68,228	4.5657%
1983	1	67,995	4.6077%
1984	1	67,736	4.5534%
1985	1	64,906	4.2763%
1986	1	64,205	4.2535%
1987	1	63,647	4.1708%
1988	1	64,133	4.1154%
1989	1	65,382	4.0517%
1990	1	65,282	3.9387%
1991	1	60,785	3.7292%
1992	1	54,386	3.4073%
1993	1	49,550	3.1782%
1994	1	44,470	2.8977%
1995	1	41,402	2.7471%
1996	1	38,365	2.5623%
1997	1	37,548	2.5387%
1998	1	36,614	2.4463%
1999	2	33,912	2.2645%
2000	2	32,035	2.0971%
2001	2	29,681	1.9699%
2002	2	28,246	1.8849%
2003	2	27,118	1.7825%
2004	2	25,454	1.67%
2005	2	23,812	1.5574%
2006	2	22,632	1.4454%
2007	2	21,987	1.3935%
2008	2	20,617	1.3339%
2009	3	18,935	1.2669%
2010	3	17,342	1.2034%
2011	6	16,789	1.1784%
2012	7	16,154	1.1336%
2013	7	15,491	1.088%
2014	7	15,440	1.0597%
2015	9	14,413	0.9906%
2016	8	14,057	0.975%
2017	12	12,579	0.9013%
2018	14	11,620	0.8458%
2019	14	10,514	0.7767%
2020	12	9,588	0.7533%
2021	17	9,041	0.7396%
2022	15	8,728	0.6616%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Michael

If you like Michael, you’ll love these other names like Michael.

What names are diminutives of Michael?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Michael sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Michael, but shorter.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Micha	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mickey	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mickie
Micky	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mike	A diminutive form of Michael.	Irish
Mikey	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Miko	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Miky	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mischa	Who resembles God?	Russian
Misha	Who is like God?	Russian
Mitch	Who resembles God?	Hebrew

What names are variants of Michael?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Michael.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Makai	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Micael	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mical	Who resembles God?	Hebrew

Michaelangelo	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Michail	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Michal	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Micheal	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Michel	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Michelangelo	Combination of Michael and Angelo	Italian
Michele	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Michiel	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Miguel	Who is Like God?	Spanish
Mihail	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mihaly	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mikael	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mikel	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mikell	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mikhail	Who resembles God?	Hebrew

Mikhalis	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mikhos	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mikkel	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mikol	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Miquel	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mitchell	A variant spelling of Mitchel.	English
Mychael	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mychal	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mykal	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mykel	Who resembles God?	Hebrew
Mykell	Who resembles God?	Hebrew

What names sound like Michael?

If you like how Michael sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Michael.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Micah	Who is Like God?	Hebrew
Micaiah	Who is like God?	Hebrew

What names are similar to Michael?

Find a name that’s like Michael, but just a little bit different.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Andrew	Manly and powerful	Greek
David	Beloved	Hebrew

Eli	Ascension	Hebrew
Gabriel	God is my strength	Hebrew
John	God is gracious	Hebrew
Lucas	From Lucania	Latin
Matthew	Gift of God	Hebrew
Nathan	He gave	Hebrew
Ryan	Little king	Irish
Thomas	Twin	Greek

Lists With Michael

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Michael.

Siblings of Michael

Mamas with kids named Michael also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Megan	Pearl	Welsh
Rebecca	To join	Hebrew
Katherine	Pure	Greek
Audrey	Noble strength	English
Samuel	Name of God	Hebrew
Verity	Truth	Latin
Kaylee	Pure	English

Diesel	Diminutive form of Matthias or Dietrich	German
Charlie	Free man	English
Daniel	God is My Judge	Hebrew
Jessica	To see	English
Justin	Just and fair	English
Miley	Smiley	American
Harley	Hare meadow	English
Nicholas	Victory of the people	Greek
Hazel	Hazelnut tree	English
Kristian	Follower of Christ	Scandinavian
Trinity	The Holy Trinity	English
Lily	Lily flower	English
Brooke	Small stream	English
Frankie	Frenchman; free man	Latin
Jaylon	Calm	Greek

Morgan	Circling sea	Welsh
Jerome	Sacred name	Greek
Lorenzo	Laurel	Italian
Luke	From Lucania	Greek
Giovanna	God is gracious	Italian

Share Your Thoughts

57 Comments

Elizabeth Oct 28 at 11:16 am

Because it’s his great uncles name that passed away and I wanted to give his name to my son

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Crystal Apr 3 at 7:23 am

He was name after his father

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Micheal Dec 16 at 10:16 am

Mine is Micheal not Michael

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Kailey Oct 17 at 1:28 am

Family name. Named after his grandfather and great great grandfather. It also means gift from God.

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Crichet Jul 12 at 11:50 am

Michael is a Jr and he is very active and smart

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Lory+berrious Jul 5 at 11:30 pm

Michael us an ? angel’s name

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Michael Scott Jul 1 at 9:22 am

We love the name Michael Scott for two reasons. We love the meaning of Michael (there is none like God) and Scott is my husband’s father’s name. We also love “The Office,” lol.

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Lameseya Jun 13 at 9:11 am

We named him after my husband

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Bekah Jan 12 at 8:37 am

We chose this name because it’s my dads last name. My Dad has pastored for many years and is a tremendous man for Michael to look up to!

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Samantha Albany Dec 21 at 7:13 am

Michael is my father’s name. It’s a pro and con that it’s common, but it fits our little man perfectly.

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Melissa Sep 23 at 8:32 am

Michael Alan is a family name. He is named after both both grandpa’s and Michael also means, who is like God? It’s a reminder to us that God is amazing and has given us the greatest blessing in sweet Michael.

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Patricia Jun 27 at 4:57 pm

My husband and I have 7 daughter’s, this was our first boy so he’s a Jr, name after his daddy.

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Denise Sanchez Jun 22 at 8:10 am

Love

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- Kyle Jun 13 at 2:23 am
  
  LOVE TO YOU
  
  Reply
Ximena Nistler Jun 18 at 11:39 pm

My husband even before getting married to me always wanted to have a boy named Michael. Even suggested to his sister to named her next kid Michael.
The day I found out I was pregnant we went to a spiritual retreat and on the room’s door they wrote our names and my husband added “Miguelito” which means “little Michael” in spanish. Although I was only 2 weeks pregnant and of course we couldn’t know if baby was a boy or a girl.
We love Michael in honor to St Michael the Archangel who is the prince of the heavenly host. He is a fighter of the army of God. Joseph in honor to Jesus’ father St Joseph (terror of demons)
Our boy has a heart condition and needs surgery, we know that God has him and his names honor his strong character.

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Melody May 17 at 10:15 am

We chose the name Michael because it is a strong biblical name meaning “Who is like God?” Or “gift from God.” It is the name of the archangel, Michael, who is a warrior in God’s army.

We like to call him Mikey for short, which seems to really fit especially now when he’s tiny.

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Rute Mar 23 at 6:34 am

My husband and I pray a lot to St Michael the Archangel and he’s helped us a great deal in our relationship. We promised we would name our child after St Michael as a result we couldn’t be any happier ?? it suits my son perfectly ?

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Jessica Mar 7 at 8:12 am

I love being a mother

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Liv Nov 16 at 8:33 am

Michael is a family name on both my and my husband’s side of the family. It means “who is like God?” and we chose it because our son is a gift and a testimony of our God’s goodness and faithfulness.

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Lisa Oct 15 at 4:47 am

Named after my husband

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Courtney Sep 15 at 12:20 pm

St. Michael the Archangel

He will go by Michael over nicknames like Mike or Mikey

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Beth Keyes Aug 10 at 2:34 pm

“Michael” I might consider another possibility (after the Christian Rock singer; Michael W. Smith“). Beth

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Angel Jul 29 at 7:16 am

Daddy’s name. Michael is the third

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Larissa Jul 24 at 8:36 pm

Named after his grandfather that passed away when I was pregnant

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Audrey Jul 17 at 10:28 am

We chose the name because it’s my father in law’s name. It’s a generational thing!

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Shannon Jul 10 at 11:01 am

We chose Michael because it was my dad’s name and he passed around the end of my first trimester. He was an excellent grandpa and loved babies. Michael also comes with plenty of good nicknames, while still being a great adult name.

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Alison May 29 at 5:18 am

My husband is Michael Joseph Jr and he is the last man in his family to be able to carry on the last name so having his son be named after him and be the third was very important to him. Michael wouldn’t have been my first choice because I know so many but I do love the name.

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Nelsy Mar 29 at 12:37 pm

The name Michael was easy to choose because my husband is already a junior and we wanted to continue with the family name.

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Nakia Mar 29 at 9:49 am

My son was named after his late great uncle

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Erica Dec 22 at 7:29 pm

We chose michael to honor my pop’s and he has the middle name anthony to honor my late father. Michael wasnt my first choice. It’s to “common” for me but my husband insisted. I feel like it doesnt fit him just yet but I’m hoping it grows on me. I’m sure it will because it has alot of meaning behind it for me.

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Raynetta Irish Sep 29 at 9:22 am

I chose michael because it’s his grandfather and daddy’s name and I loved the idea to keep the legacy going.

I love the nickname options that comes along with his name Mikey being one of them and the meaning of his name “who is like God” definitely my little piece of heaven.

My baby boy was born with such a peace over him and it gives off a love no one can deny….michael is my husband and my joy ??

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candace Sep 28 at 6:38 am

A family name

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Amanda Sep 5 at 2:12 pm

Michael got his name from his 2 grandpa’s and his father

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Naomi Aug 10 at 5:32 am

Didn’t have a name

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Laura Aug 5 at 4:00 pm

Michael is the middle name of my husband, father, and husbands best friend who passed away from cancer so it honors some very special people! It feels like a bit of a grown up name for a baby at times but I love it!

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Stacie Jul 26 at 10:31 am

Passing down his father’s name

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amber Jul 21 at 12:03 pm

His name runs in the family

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Heather Jun 25 at 11:11 am

My son is named after his father. Michael is the 3rd of his name. I let my husband chose the name being him the only boy with three sisters. He is also the last child. It can get confusing sometimes but we make it work.

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Bahoti May 9 at 12:14 pm

I’ve always wanted to name my first baby boy michael. Ever since I was a little girl. I’ve known alot of Michael’s in my life and all of them were very sweet boys. So I thought well it has to be the name like whoever was given the name michael they’re gunna be good guys. So always told myself my baby boy will be michael no matter what and it has always stuck with me Haha I know silly reason

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Raven Apr 28 at 9:13 am

We named Michael after his father!! We actually call Michael ‘Junior’!!! Michael Sr swore up & down that he could only produce girls….His 2 living daughters are 21 & 20!! So, Junior is a high blessing in disguise!!!

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Mrs Black Apr 13 at 8:29 pm

My Son is named after his Father. He is the first and only Boy. We decided to make him a Junior. I love everything about his name.

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Theresa Feb 10 at 2:29 pm

I love his name he is name after his father

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Terria Jan 27 at 2:39 pm

He is my world

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Chelly Oct 7 at 8:02 pm

My husband and I chose Michael Angelo to name our son cause we are both believers of guardian angels. And we have the same guardian angel Archangel Michael.

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Krystal Oct 7 at 11:01 am

I chose my brothers middle name

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Mama Aug 31 at 2:56 pm

My husband and I chose to name our son after him (not that I had agreed) since he is our first born son. I like the name Michael, just not for our son. The dislike I have with his name was he is named after him (I guess you can call me jelly) lol I didn’t agree with his name in the beginning, but his father and I had came to an agreement before learning the sex of our baby if we had had a girl, I would be the one to name her, but if we had had a boy, he would name him. Well, the sex of our baby was in his favor so he named baby after him. Next time, hopefully, things will be in my favor and will get to name our baby girl.

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Alexandria McCormick Aug 30 at 4:41 pm

We named our son Michael Collins, after the Irish patriot. All of our children are named after historical figures; their first names are also all Biblical (mostly Old Testament) names, which is important to us. Michael is such a strong, manly name, and it fit well with his brothers’ names as well. St Michael the Archangel is a great patron saint, and it doesn’t hurt that he shares the name with his daddy!

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Micheal Noble Aug 19 at 7:21 am

The name Michael was chosen for 2 reasons. One for the arch angel and the second after his grandfather.

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Mike Steph Aug 8 at 11:12 am

I Choose his name cuz of his dad my son is a Junior

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Keyawnie Jul 6 at 8:01 am

Michael is named after his grandfather who I think is a strong and nice guy. It’s a name that I was kinda iffy about at first but now I couldn’t image in him being named anything else.

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Kendra Jun 17 at 10:22 am

Named after his dad ?

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Mikki Jun 9 at 2:57 pm

I love the name Michael. It’s my father’s name. It’s a strong classic name.

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Taiwo Jun 8 at 8:15 am

He’s so wonderful

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Janel Romello Jun 4 at 5:44 pm

My husband and father in law are both Michael and it was important to my husband that his son’s name was Michael as well. We went with Michael Connor ( Connor was my first choice name).

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Bethany Apr 22 at 12:54 pm

My son is named after my brother (my best friend), his great uncle (my husband is very close with him) and also a mutual friend of ours that reconnected my husband and I and who is partially responsible for us being together. It seemed like the perfect name because it means so much and it reminds us of people who we love so much. Also, I love how straight forward and classic it is.

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Jennifer Apr 14 at 7:06 am

It’s definitely a boy name, no guessing and it’s my husband’s middle name, so it has meaning for us.

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Karen Henshaw Apr 13 at 1:01 pm

Michael is a family name. My husband and I each had an uncle with the name and I had a cousin with the name. The Archangel, Michael, is a strong figure and patron. It is a common name, so we gave our son a less common middle name, Harrison.

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Michael