Michael Boy

Popularity: #18 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationMYE-kul / /ˈmaɪ.kəl/

Hebrew; Latin; Greek

Meaning

Hebrew: Who is like God?; Latin: Like God; Greek: One who is like God

Historical & Cultural Background

Michael is a name of significant religious importance, particularly in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In the Bible, Michael is an archangel and a protector of Israel. The name has been popular in various cultures and has been borne by numerous saints and historical figures throughout history.

Trend Summary

Michael has consistently been a popular name in the United States, frequently ranking among the top names for boys since the 20th century.

Similar Names

MichealMarkMarcusMitchellMilesMalcolmMason

Variants

  • Mikael
  • Mikhail
  • Micheal

International Variants

  • Mikael (Swedish)
  • Mikhail (Russian)
  • Michele (Italian)
  • Miguel (Spanish)
  • Mihai (Romanian)

Famous people named Michael

Michael Jordan is a former professional basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Michael Jackson was an iconic singer and entertainer known as the 'King of Pop'.

Michael Phelps is an Olympic swimmer who holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals.

Fictional characters named Michael

Michael Myers is a fictional character from the 'Halloween' horror film franchise, known as a relentless serial killer.

Michael Scott is a character from the television series 'The Office', portrayed as the bumbling regional manager of Dunder Mifflin.

Sibling Suggestions

GabrielSamuelDanielDavidJonathanMatthew

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Michael was first seen in the United States in 1880. Michael has ranked as high as #1 nationally, which occurred in 1957, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio. In the past 5 years the name Michael has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Michael (2024)

StateBirthsShare
CA 914
12%
TX 883
11%
NY 592
8%
FL 579
8%
PA 372
5%
IL 332
4%
OH 300
4%
NC 239
3%
MI 239
3%
GA 236
3%
VA 236
3%
MA 191
2%
TN 179
2%
AZ 159
2%
IN 153
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
1880354
1881298
1882321
1883307
1884373
1885370
1886348
1887344
1888466
1889377
1890394
1891333
1892380
1893407
1894423
1895413
1896399
1897368
1898434
1899375
1900495
1901384
1902460
1903466
1904462
1905513
1906531
1907586
1908688
1909635
1910844
19111,159
19122,104
19132,607
19143,362
19154,079
19164,210
19174,288
19184,296
19193,910
19204,003
19214,198
19223,990
19233,915
19243,874
19253,761
19263,485
19273,605
19283,598
19293,465
19303,542
19313,489
19323,607
19333,549
19344,108
19354,906
19365,800
19377,094
19389,076
193910,829
194013,228
194115,935
194221,728
194324,745
194426,717
194529,902
194641,192
194750,505
194852,566
194960,046
195065,138
195172,805
195279,039
195384,202
195488,564
195588,352
195690,691
195792,786
195890,598
195985,291
196084,139
196186,968
196285,056
196383,757
196482,619
196581,002
196679,984
196782,412
196881,974
196985,159
197085,271
197177,585
197271,391
197367,808
197467,535
197568,422
197666,917
197767,588
197867,133
197967,718
198068,687
198168,759
198268,228
198367,997
198467,741
198564,936
198664,236
198763,663
198864,168
198965,409
199065,318
199160,807
199254,409
199349,568
199444,475
199541,410
199638,373
199737,557
199836,619
199933,915
200032,043
200129,689
200228,258
200327,129
200425,470
200523,827
200622,651
200722,024
200820,651
200918,960
201017,381
201116,822
201216,209
201315,540
201415,496
201514,497
201614,139
201712,723
201811,750
201910,614
20209,824
20219,136
20228,888
20238,416
20248,189