View source for Michael (given name)

{{Short description|Masculine given name}}
{{About|| a list of people with the given name|List of people with given name Michael|}}
{{pp-pc1}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox given name
| name = Michael
| image= File:GuidoReni MichaelDefeatsSatan.jpg
| imagesize=
| caption= [[Michael (archangel)|Archangel Michael]]
| pronunciation= {{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|aɪ|k|əl}}<br />{{IPA|de|ˈmɪçaːʔeːl, -ʔɛl|lang}}
| gender = [[Male]]
| meaning = "[[Quis ut Deus?|Who is like God?]]", "there is none like God", or "there is none as famous and powerful as God"<ref name=Etymology>Campbell, Michael [http://www.behindthename.com/name/michael Behind the Name: The Etymology and History of First Names]</ref>
| region =
| origin = {{langx|he|מִיכָאֵל}} / {{Script/Hebrew|מיכאל}} (Mikha'el)
| nickname = Mic, Mich, Micha, [[Mick]], [[Mickey]], [[Micki]], [[Mickie]], [[Mike (given name)|Mike]], [[Mikey]], Miki, [[Mikki]], Mico, Miko, Mikha, [[Misha (name)|Misha]], [[Mischa]], [[Mitch]], [[Mitt (name)|Mitt]], Micci
| related names = 
[[Machiel (given name)|Machiel]], [[Maicon]]  or [[Maycon]], [[Maikel]], [[Michaela]], [[Michelangelo (given name)|Michelangelo]], Michal, [[Michał]], [[Micheal]], [[Mícheál]], [[Michel (name)|Michel]], [[Michele]], [[Michelle (name)|Michelle]], [[Michiel]], [[Miguel (disambiguation)|Miguel]], Miguelita, [[Mihael]], Miha, [[Mihai]], [[Mihailo]], [[Mykhailo]], [[Mykhaylo ]], [[Mihajlo]], [[Mihalis]], Mikhalis, [[Mihály]], Mihangel, [[Mihkel]], [[Mihovil]], [[Miika]], [[Mika]], [[Mikael]], Mikail, [[Mikal (given name)|Mikal]], [[Mikel]], [[Miķelis]], Mikhail or Mihail (Михаил), Mihails, Maikls, [[Mikkel]], [[Mikko]], [[Mihály]] [[Mishael]], [[Misho (disambiguation)|Misho]], [[Mitchell (given name)|Mitchell]], Mykael, Michol, Michole
| footnotes =
}}

'''Michael''' is a common masculine [[given name]] derived from the Hebrew phrase {{Script/Hebrew|מי כאל}} ''mī kāʼēl'', 'Who [is] like-El', in [[Aramaic]]: ܡܝܟܐܝܠ (''Mīkhāʼēl'' {{IPA|he|miχaˈʔel|}}). The [[theophoric name]] is often read as a rhetorical question – "Who [is] like [the Hebrew God] [[El (deity)|El]]?",<ref name="Etymology" /> whose answer is "there is none like El", or "there is none as famous and powerful as God." This question is known in Latin as ''[[Quis ut Deus?]]'' Paradoxically, the name is also sometimes interpreted as, "One who is like God."<ref name="History">Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae, [http://www.omniumsanctorumhiberniae.com/2015/09/michael-one-who-is-like-unto-god.html "Michael - one who is like unto God"] (This interpretation would be seen as heretical in some religions, but it is fairly common nonetheless.)</ref>

An alternative spelling of the name is ''[[Micheal]]''. While ''Michael'' is most often a masculine name, it is also given to women, such as the actresses [[Michael Michele]] and [[Michael Learned]], and [[Michael Steele (musician)|Michael Steele]], the former bassist for [[the Bangles]].

Patronymic surnames that come from Michael include ''[[Carmichael (surname)|Carmichael]], [[DiMichele]], [[MacMichael]], [[McMichael (surname)|McMichael]], [[Michaels (surname)|Michaels]], [[Micallef]], [[Michaelson (surname)|Michaelson]], [[Michiels]], [[Michalka]], [[Michels]], [[Miguélez]], [[Mihály]], [[Mikeladze]], [[Mikhaylov (surname)|Mikhaylov]], [[Mikkelsen]], [[Mitchell (surname)|Mitchell]], [[Michalski]], [[Mykhaylenko]]'' and ''[[Mikaelyan]]''.

== Religion ==
=== Judaism ===
The name first appears in the [[Hebrew Bible]] in the [[Book of Numbers]] {{sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Numbers|chapter=13|verse=13|nobook=}}, where Sethur the son of Michael is one of 12 spies sent into the Land of [[Canaan]].

''[[Michael (archangel)|Michael]]'' is the name of an [[archangel]] in the [[Book of Daniel]] {{sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Daniel|chapter=12|verse=1|nobook=}}.

=== Christianity ===
The archangel Michael is venerated in the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Oriental Orthodox Church]], and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]. For the Roman Catholic Church, 29 September is the [[Calendar of saints|feast day]] of the three archangels: Michael, [[Gabriel]] and [[Raphael (archangel)|Raphael]]. For the Orthodox Church, 8 November is the [[Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar|feast day]] commemorating the archangels Michael and Gabriel, as well as the whole host of [[angel]]s, while the Monday of each liturgical week likewise corresponds to the "Bodiless Powers." In the [[Coptic Orthodox Church]], his main feast days are 12 [[Hathor (month)|Hathor]] and 12 [[Paoni]], with lesser feast days on the 12th day of each month of the [[Coptic calendar]].

=== Islam ===
According to Islam, Michael (Mika'el) is an archangel who brings down rain to the earth by the decree of [[God in Islam|Allah]]. He was created from light<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-12-24|title=Angels and their attributes|url=https://www.arabnews.com/islam-perspective/news/855376|access-date=2021-07-21|website=Arab News|language=en}}</ref> and the one entrusted with the sustenance of creatures, and is also one of the most prominent angels. As the Angel of Mercy, he asks Allah to forgive people’s sins.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Malaikah - Muslim beliefs - Edexcel - GCSE Religious Studies Revision - Edexcel|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z43pfcw/revision/3|access-date=2021-07-21|website=BBC Bitesize|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Popularity ==
Michael (and its variants) is one of the most common given names for men in the world. In the United States, Michael was the most popular name of the 20th century, ranking No. 1 from 1954 to 1998 (with the exception of 1960, when it was second to [[David (name)|David]]). It was among the top three most popular names for each year since 1953, only falling out of the top five in 2011 for the first time since 1949.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/top5names.html |title=Top 5 Names In Each Of The Last 100 Years|publisher=[[United States Social Security Administration]]|access-date=10 March 2015 }}</ref> Michael is the only name to rank among the ten most popular across all four generations since Generation X.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://word.tips/most-popular-name-generation-map/
 |title=Every U.S. State's Most Popular Name by Generation |publisher=Word Tips|access-date=29 November 2024 }}</ref>

In 2014, Michael was the 20th most popular name in [[Northern Ireland]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/InteractiveMaps/Population/Baby%20Names/Baby_Names2014/babyname.html |title=Top 100 Baby Names in Northern Ireland, 2014|publisher=[[Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency]]|access-date=10 March 2015 }}</ref>  27th in [[Canada]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.todaysparent.com/top-100-baby-names-in-canada-2014/ |title=Top 100 Baby Names in Canada |publisher=[[Today's Parent]] |access-date=10 March 2015 |archive-date=25 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025235425/http://www.todaysparent.com/top-100-baby-names-in-canada-2014/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and 42nd in [[Australia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mccrindle.com.au/resources/Baby-Names-Australia-2014_McCrindle.pdf |title=Baby Names Australia 2014 |publisher=McCrindle Market and Social Research |access-date=10 March 2015 |archive-date=3 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303071345/http://www.mccrindle.com.au/resources/Baby-Names-Australia-2014_McCrindle.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> In [[England and Wales]], Michael ranked 53rd in 2011 and 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/interactive/top-100-baby-names-in-england-and-wales---dvc11/index.html |title=Top 100 names for baby boys in England and Wales|publisher=United Kingdom National Statistics|access-date=10 March 2015 }}</ref> Michael ranked as the eighth most popular name for boys in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/ibn/irishbabiesnames2013/#.VP7NdWR4qeA|title=Irish Babies' Names|date=30 May 2014 |publisher=[[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|Central Statistics Office of Ireland]]|access-date=10 March 2015 }}</ref>

According to the [[Social Security Administration|SSA]], Michael is the most popular name among people in the United States who are currently alive, belonging to an estimated 3.83 million living people as of 2021. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=name+michael|title=Name Michael: Wolfram Alpha|publisher=Wolfram Alpha|date=January 1, 2021|access-date=12 September 2023|archive-date=10 February 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230210004240/https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=name+michael|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>

Variants of Michael rank among the most popular masculine names in multiple countries. It was the third most popular in [[Finland]] from 2010 – March 2015 (as Mikael),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://verkkopalvelu.vrk.fi/Nimipalvelu/default.asp?L=3|title=Most popular first names by decades|publisher=[[Population Register Centre (Finland)|Population Register Centre of Finland]]|date=10 March 2009|access-date=10 March 2015 }}</ref> seventh in [[Russia]] in 2009 (as Mikhail),<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dni.ru/society/2009/2/9/159001.html |script-title=ru:Названа десятка самых популярных имен |trans-title=Ten Most Popular Baby Names |work=DNI |date=9 February 2009 |access-date=10 March 2015 |language=ru}}</ref> 14th in Spain in 2012 (as Miguel),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ine.es/daco/daco42/nombyapel/nombres_mas_frecuentes.xls |title=Nombres más frecuentes (Hombres) |publisher=[[Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain)|Instituto Nacional de Estadística]]|date=1 January 2013 |access-date=10 March 2015 }}</ref> and 15th in [[Denmark]] (as Mikkel).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dst.dk/pukora/epub/Nyt/2014/NR373.pdf |title=Sofia og William indtager igen førstepladsen|publisher=[[Statistics Denmark]]|date=11 July 2014 |access-date=10 March 2015 }}</ref>

== People named Michael ==
*[[List of people with given name Michael]]
*[[List of people with given name Mikhail]]

== See also ==
*[[Michael (surname)]]
*[[Michael (archangel)]]
*[[Mykhailo]], a [[Ukrainians|Ukrainian]] [[given name]]
*[[Great Michael]], carrack of the 16th century Kingdom of Scotland
*[[Michaelia]], a Latin name of Mikkeli, town now in Finland
*[[Mike (given name)|Mike]], common name derived from Michael
*[[Micky]], common name derived from Michael
*[[List of most popular given names]]
*[[Theophoric name#El|Other theophoric names including "El"]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:English masculine given names]]
[[Category:English-language masculine given names]]
[[Category:English-language unisex given names]]
[[Category:English unisex given names]]
[[Category:German masculine given names]]
[[Category:Hebrew-language names]]
[[Category:Masculine given names]]
[[Category:Modern names of Hebrew origin]]
[[Category:Theophoric names]]
[[Category:Unisex given names]]
[[Category:Jewish given names]]