Baby Names Michael Name Meaning By Renee Plant Renee Plant Renee Plant is a health and wellness freelance writer with a passion for delivering well-researched, factual content to readers. Learn about our editorial process Fact checked by Daniella Amato Fact checked by Daniella Amato on July 03, 2021 Daniella Amato is a biomedical scientist and fact checker with expertise in pharmaceuticals and clinical research. Learn about our editorial process on July 03, 2021 Print Westend61 / Getty ImagesOwner Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Does Michael Mean? How Popular Is the Name Michael? How Popular Is the Name Michael? Name Variations Similar Names Common Nicknames Suggested Sibling Names What Does Michael Mean? Are you searching for a classic, refined name for your baby boy? Michael is a strong option to consider. Michael was first derived from the name Mikha’el, meaning “who is like God?” in Hebrew. This rhetorical question was posed to reiterate no person was like God. In Hebrew tradition, Michael was one of the archangels. Michael is listed as the only archangel in the Bible, where he appears in the Old Testament’s Book of Daniel as a protector of Israel. The saint’s popularity brought the name Michael to prominence centuries ago. Michael has been commonly used in Western Europe since the Middle Ages and in England since the 12th century. Origin: The name Michael is of Hebrew origin and means “who is like God?” or “gift from God.” It is found in the Old Testament, notably in the Book of Daniel.Gender: Michael is historically the masculine form of the name. Feminine variations, such as Michelle, Michaela, or Mila, are common.Pronunciation: mye-kehl Although many baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best. How Popular Is the Name Michael? The name Michael was commonly used for emperors, kings, and saints. Michael is an ever-popular name that has consistently ranked in the top-100 for boys over the past century. Michael enjoyed an unprecedented run in popularity in the U.S. from 1954 to 2008, often ranking in the first or second spot. The name stayed in the top 10 until 2017, when it ranked 12. In 2020, Michael also ranked as the 12th most popular name for boys in America. While the name is sometimes used for baby girls, it does not rank in the 1000 most frequently used names for girls. Name Variations As it is a biblical name, Michael has an equivalent in virtually every known language. These variations include: Michel (French) Mikhail (Greek, Russian) Mihály (Hungarian) Mícheál (Gaelic) Michele (Italian) Michal (Polish) Miguel (Portuguese, Spanish) Mihail (Rumanian) Michiel (Dutch) Mikel (Swedish) Mihangel (Welsh) Mícheál (Irish) Miguel (Portuguese) Mikkel (Danish, Norweigian) Micheil (Gaelic) Similar Names Other boy names from the Old Testament: AaronAbrahamBenjaminDanielElijahEzraJonathanJoshuaNoahSamuel Other boy names starting with M: MalachiMarcusMarioMasonMatthewMaverickMaxwell/MaxMicahMilesMitchellMorgan 100 Biblical Baby Names Common Nicknames Common nicknames for Michael include: Mike: Suggests a robust and athletic persona, such as boxer Mike Tyson, or American television personality Mike Rowe. This shorthand version of Michael dates back to the 1800s and is a commonly used nickname for Michael. Mikey: A lesser-used nickname with a more playful undertone. Many boys who are called Mikey will grow into the nickname Mike as they get older. This nickname was made popular in the 1970s when actor John Gilchrist played a young boy named Mikey in the Life cereal commercials. The beloved advertisements spawned the catchphrase, “Mikey Likes It.” Suggested Sibling Names BenjaminGabrielMatthewThomasWilliamAmeliaCharlotteEmmaGraceLily Famous People Named Michael Notable Michaels in the U.S., like preacher Michael Blackwell and philanthropist Michael Drescher, represent the biblical Michael’s commitment to duty and leadership. The name Michael is also associated with distinguished American politicians such as Michael Dukakis, Michael Patrick Flanagan, and Michael Pence. Famous Michaels: Michael Bublé, Canadian singerMichael J. Fox, Canadian-American actorMichael Jordan, NBA basketball playerMichael Kors, American fashion designerMichael Palin, British comedianMichael Phelps, American swimmer Famous Mikes: Mike Ditka, NFL player, coach, and commentatorMike Meyers, Canadian actorMike Oliver, British sociologist and disability advocateMike Piazza, American baseball playerMike Tyson, American boxer Famous Mikeys: Mikey Ambrose, American soccer playerMikey Boyle, Irish hurlerMikey Chung, Jamaican musician and record producerMikey Craig, English musicianMikey Robins, Australian media personality, comedian, and writerMikey Walsh, British writer and LGBTQ activist Fictional Michaels/Mikes/Mikeys: Michael Meyers, HalloweenMichael Scott, The OfficeMike Seaver, Growing PainsMike Wheeler, Stranger ThingsLittle Mikey, Life cereal commercials More Baby Names Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: Top 1,000 Baby Boy Names 100 Gender-Neutral Baby Names 275 Popular Baby Names for Twins Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 1 Source Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Social Security Administration. Popular baby names. Updated 2021.