Michael
Who is like God? · French form of Hebrew origin
What does Michael mean?
Michael is a male name of French form of Hebrew origin, meaning “Who is like God?”.
How popular is Michael?
In England & Wales, Michael ranked #85 among boys' names in 2024, with 626 babies given the name — down from #52 in 2014. Its strongest year in the England & Wales series is 1996, when it reached #22.
In the United States, Michael was the #12 boys' name in the 2020 data, after peaking at #1 in 1970.
The two territories disagree about Michael: #12 in the US against #85 in England & Wales — a markedly more American choice.
| Year | E&W rank | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | #22 | 4,187 |
| 2000 | #30 | 2,413 |
| 2005 | #42 | 1,627 |
| 2010 | #53 | 1,353 |
| 2015 | #54 | 1,165 |
| 2020 | #74 | 751 |
| 2024 | #85 | 626 |
Who are famous people named Michael?
- Michael Jackson · American singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer (1958–2009)
- Michael Faraday · British scientist (1791–1867)
- Michael Schumacher · German racing driver (born 1969)
What names go well with Michael?
More on Michael
Who is like God? Nobody, says Michael, and then gets on with being brilliant at everything.
Michael: the only name that asks you a question — Michael as our Name of the Day.
David: the name that just means beloved — Michael gets a mention.
Swipe & match on Michael in Settle