Michael
Michael sits comfortably in the UK charts at #85 in 2025 — recognisable but not overwhelming. Your child may occasionally share their name.
Hebrew — Who is like God?
About the Name Michael
Michael ranked #85 in 2025, down from its peak of #22 in 1996 — still a familiar name, but past its high point. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 30 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
Etymologically, Michael comes from Hebrew, where it means "Who is like God?". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Michael is a very popular name in the UK — yet a class of 28 is small enough that your child will very likely be the only Michael on the register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #18, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
⭐ Famous People Named Michael
- Michael Irby — Michael Clinton Irby is an American actor known for portraying Sergeant First Class Charles Grey in the CBS series The Unit, and more recently, for his work as Obispo 'Bishop' Losa in Mayans M.C. and Cristobal Sifuentes on the HBO series Barry.
- Sean Cameron Michael — Sean Cameron Michael (aka Sean C.
- Michael Joseph Savage — Michael Joseph Savage was an Australian-born New Zealand politician who served as the 23rd prime minister of New Zealand, heading the First Labour Government from 1935 until his death in 1940.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Michael
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Michael
Almost certainly the only Michael in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Michael
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Famous People Named Michael
Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia