Michael Boy

Popularity: #21 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MYE-kul //ˈmaɪ.kəl//

Origin: Hebrew; Latin; Greek

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

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Michael has its roots in the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el), which translates to "Who is like God?" This question reflects a rhetorical device common in Hebrew names, emphasizing the greatness of God. The name was adopted into Greek as Μιχαήλ (Mikhaēl) and subsequently into Latin as Michael, which was then introduced into Old French before making its way into Middle English.

The transition through these languages illustrates the name's enduring significance across cultures and eras, particularly within Judeo-Christian contexts. Historically, Michael is a prominent figure in religious texts, notably as one of the archangels in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament.

His mention in the Book of Daniel, which dates back to the 6th century BCE, marks one of the earliest references. Michael is also depicted in the Book of Revelation, where he leads the heavenly armies against the forces of evil.

The name gained further prominence through the veneration of Saint Michael, whose feast day is celebrated on September 29. The establishment of this feast in the 5th century CE solidified the name's association with protection and divine strength.

Culturally, Michael has been a symbol of leadership and valor, often associated with military and protective roles. The name has appeared in various forms of literature and art, including the famous depiction of Saint Michael defeating the dragon in Renaissance art.

Its resonance is further enhanced by its use in various languages and cultures, maintaining a sense of reverence and historical depth. The diminutive form, Mike, has also emerged, reflecting a more familiar and approachable variant of the name, though its historical significance remains tied to the original form.

Famous people named Michael

In this section, you will find notable people named Michael. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Michael who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Michael who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Michael Jordan is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Chicago Bulls, winning six NBA championships, and being a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Michael Jackson is a singer and entertainer best known for his albums Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous.

Michael Phelps is a former competitive swimmer best known for winning 23 Olympic gold medals and setting multiple world records.

Michael Caine is an actor best known for his roles in The Dark Knight, Alfie, and The Cider House Rules.

Michael Keaton is an actor best known for his roles in Batman, Birdman, and Beetlejuice.

Michael B. Jordan is an actor and producer best known for his roles in Black Panther, Creed, and Fruitvale Station.

Michael Fassbender is an actor best known for his roles in 12 Years a Slave, Steve Jobs, and X-Men: First Class.

Michael Douglas is an actor and producer best known for his roles in Wall Street, Basic Instinct, and The Game.

Michael Bay is a film director and producer best known for directing the Transformers series, Armageddon, and Pearl Harbor.

Michael J. Fox is an actor best known for his roles in Back to the Future, Family Ties, and Spin City.

Michael Chiklis is an actor best known for his roles in The Shield, Fantastic Four, and Gotham.

Michael Mann is a film director and producer best known for directing Heat, Collateral, and The Insider.

Michael Stipe is a musician best known as the lead singer of the band R.E.M. and for songs like Losing My Religion and Everybody Hurts.

Michael Strahan is a former professional American football player best known for his time with the New York Giants and as a television personality on Good Morning America.

Michael C. Hall is an actor best known for his roles in Dexter, Six Feet Under, and Safe.

Michael Gambon is an actor best known for his role as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film series.

Michael Clarke Duncan is an actor best known for his role in The Green Mile and for his performances in The Whole Nine Yards and Armageddon.

Michael Irby is an actor best known for his roles in The Unit, Barry, and The Last Ship.

Michael Weatherly is an actor best known for his roles in NCIS, Bull, and Dark Angel.

Michael McKean is an actor and comedian best known for his roles in This Is Spinal Tap, Better Call Saul, and Laverne & Shirley.

Michael Rosenbaum is an actor best known for his role as Lex Luthor in Smallville and for his work in the film Urban Legend.

Michael Wincott is an actor best known for his roles in The Crow, Alien: Resurrection, and 1492: Conquest of Paradise.

Michael Nouri is an actor best known for his roles in Flashdance, The Terminal, and The Proposal.

Michael McDonald is a singer and songwriter best known for his work with The Doobie Brothers and his solo hits like I Keep Forgettin'.

Michael Ealy is an actor best known for his roles in Barbershop, Think Like a Man, and The Perfect Guy.

Michael S. Schmidt is a journalist best known for his reporting for The New York Times and his coverage of national security issues.

Fictional characters named Michael

The following list of fictional characters named Michael is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Michael Myers is a fictional character from the horror film franchise Halloween. He is a relentless serial killer known for his iconic mask and silent demeanor.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Michael, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

GabrielSamuelDanielDavidJonathanMatthew

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Michael. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MichealMarkMatthewMarcusMitchellMilesMalcolmMason

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 Texas.

In the past 5 years the name Michael has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Michael is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Michael was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Michael.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 8,107 8,094 13
2024 8,245 8,229 16
2023 8,450 8,430 20
2022 8,914 8,895 19
2021 9,177 9,150 27
2020 9,857 9,833 24
2019 10,652 10,619 33
2018 11,776 11,756 20
2017 12,760 12,726 34
2016 14,179 14,145 34
2015 14,540 14,504 36
2014 15,540 15,505 35
2013 15,583 15,544 39
2012 16,238 16,211 27
2011 16,859 16,823 36
2010 17,424 17,387 37
2009 19,009 18,964 45
2008 20,707 20,652 55
2007 22,079 22,027 52
2006 22,717 22,653 64
2005 23,889 23,828 61
2004 25,618 25,470 148
2003 27,223 27,129 94
2002 28,353 28,258 95
2001 29,785 29,689 96
2000 32,159 32,045 114
1999 34,038 33,915 123
1998 36,746 36,618 128
1997 37,704 37,562 142
1996 38,530 38,373 157
1995 41,576 41,409 167
1994 44,669 44,477 192
1993 49,794 49,571 223
1992 54,668 54,410 258
1991 61,077 60,810 267
1990 65,598 65,321 277
1989 65,778 65,415 363
1988 64,651 64,171 480
1987 64,208 63,664 544
1986 64,825 64,235 590
1985 65,465 64,934 531
1984 68,243 67,735 508
1983 68,581 68,004 577
1982 68,792 68,216 576
1981 69,237 68,750 487
1980 69,229 68,683 546
1979 68,267 67,713 554
1978 67,672 67,127 545
1977 68,147 67,587 560
1976 67,430 66,915 515
1975 68,975 68,418 557
1974 68,059 67,534 525
1973 68,248 67,797 451
1972 71,845 71,393 452
1971 78,036 77,577 459
1970 85,723 85,266 457
1969 85,621 85,162 459
1968 82,439 81,968 471
1967 82,784 82,411 373
1966 80,331 79,985 346
1965 81,347 80,992 355
1964 82,920 82,617 303
1963 84,147 83,771 376
1962 85,415 85,059 356
1961 87,298 86,974 324
1960 84,469 84,153 316
1959 85,579 85,294 285
1958 90,899 90,604 295
1957 93,036 92,781 255
1956 90,929 90,691 238
1955 88,605 88,355 250
1954 88,785 88,568 217
1953 84,430 84,198 232
1952 79,227 79,037 190
1951 72,979 72,807 172
1950 65,315 65,136 179
1949 60,235 60,047 188
1948 52,736 52,566 170
1947 50,679 50,506 173
1946 41,363 41,194 169
1945 30,060 29,902 158
1944 26,885 26,717 168
1943 24,933 24,745 188
1942 21,884 21,728 156
1941 16,032 15,935 97
1940 13,308 13,228 80
1939 10,909 10,828 81
1938 9,135 9,077 58
1937 7,141 7,094 47
1936 5,840 5,800 40
1935 4,938 4,906 32
1934 4,128 4,108 20
1933 3,575 3,549 26
1932 3,627 3,607 20
1931 3,513 3,489 24
1930 3,579 3,543 36
1929 3,497 3,464 33
1928 3,631 3,598 33
1927 3,634 3,605 29
1926 3,517 3,485 32
1925 3,795 3,761 34
1924 3,910 3,874 36
1923 3,944 3,915 29
1922 4,021 3,990 31
1921 4,222 4,198 24
1920 4,025 4,003 22
1919 3,933 3,909 24
1918 4,326 4,296 30
1917 4,300 4,288 12
1916 4,228 4,210 18
1915 4,093 4,079 14
1914 3,378 3,362 16
1913 2,619 2,607 12
1912 2,112 2,104 8
1911 1,166 1,159 7
1910 853 844 9
1909 642 635 7
1908 688 688 0
1907 586 586 0
1906 536 531 5
1905 513 513 0
1904 462 462 0
1903 466 466 0
1902 460 460 0
1901 384 384 0
1900 495 495 0
1899 375 375 0
1898 434 434 0
1897 375 368 7
1896 399 399 0
1895 413 413 0
1894 423 423 0
1893 407 407 0
1892 380 380 0
1891 333 333 0
1890 394 394 0
1889 377 377 0
1888 466 466 0
1887 344 344 0
1886 348 348 0
1885 370 370 0
1884 373 373 0
1883 307 307 0
1882 321 321 0
1881 298 298 0
1880 354 354 0

Top States for Michael (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 914
11%
TX 883
11%
NY 592
7%
FL 579
7%
PA 372
5%
NJ 340
4%
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%
MO 142
2%
WA 140
2%
MD 137
2%
SC 136
2%
WI 125
2%
CT 114
1%
AL 110
1%
CO 106
1%
KY 104
1%
OK 97
1%
LA 89
1%
MN 89
1%
NV 82
1%
OR 73
1%
MS 66
1%
KS 61
1%
IA 57
1%
AR 55
1%
UT 54
1%
NM 44
1%
NH 39
0%
NE 39
0%
RI 38
0%
ID 33
0%
DC 33
0%
DE 28
0%
AK 24
0%
SD 24
0%
WV 22
0%
MT 19
0%
ND 16
0%
ME 15
0%
HI 13
0%
WY 13
0%
VT 8
0%