Michael
Meaningwho is like God · Hebrew
- US rank
- #21
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #1 in 1998
8,094 babies were named Michael in the US in 2025. It has dropped 9 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Michael you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Michael
Michael Jackson
American singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer (1958–2009)
Choose Michael and your child shares a first name with Michael Jackson, an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Michael, like who?” Michael Jackson's Wikipedia article is available in 322 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Michael Jackson on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Matthew Rolston; Distributed by Epic Records, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 211 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Michael, 8,094 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Michael.
- HistoryMichael has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Michaels, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1998, when it ranked #1. Today it's #21, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowMichael was 3.4× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 61 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 211.
- Where it's lovedMichael is most popular in New Jersey, where it ranks #7, followed by Pennsylvania (#10) and Maryland (#12). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, Michael means “who is like God”.
About the name Michael
Michael is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “who is like God”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-ael”. US birth records list Michael for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1998, when it ranked #1 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #21, with 8,094 babies.
Origin:Hebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,241 | 309 boys |
| 1890s | 3,442 | 291 boys |
| 1900s | 3,835 | 261 boys |
| 1910s | 4,699 | 213 boys |
| 1920s | 3,441 | 291 boys |
| 1930s | 5,252 | 190 boys |
| 1940s | 21,605 | 46 boys |
| 1950s | 41,327 | 24 boys |
| 1960s | 43,467 | 23 boys |
| 1970s | 42,805 | 23 boys |
| 1980s | 36,027 | 28 boys |
| 1990s | 23,619 | 42 boys |
| 2000s | 12,597 | 79 boys |
| 2010s | 7,704 | 130 boys |
| 2020s | 5,077 | 197 boys |
More Hebrew boy names
- Unisex name: Noah · rest, comfort
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: Elijah · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Levi · joined, attached
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Michael
What does the name Michael mean?
Michael means “who is like God” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name Michael?
Michael has Hebrew roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Noah, James, Elijah.
Is Michael a boy or girl name?
Michael is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Michael?
Michael ranked #21 for US boys in 2025, given to 8,094 babies. Its best year was 1998 (#1).