Michael
A male given name from Hebrew.
Every Michael since 1880 — 4,448,633 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Michael
Michael is a top-50 name for boys in the United States, ranked #21 in 2025 with 8,094 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 4,448,633 American babies have been named Michael. Its peak came in 1957, when 93,036 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Michael stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Michael year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | #8,188 | 8,094 | #21 |
| 2024 | 16 | #7,149 | 8,229 | #18 |
| 2023 | 20 | #6,099 | 8,430 | #16 |
| 2022 | 19 | #6,389 | 8,895 | #16 |
| 2021 | 27 | #4,920 | 9,150 | #17 |
| 2020 | 24 | #5,272 | 9,833 | #12 |
| 2019 | 33 | #4,315 | 10,619 | #14 |
| 2018 | 20 | #6,170 | 11,756 | #14 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4,284 | 12,726 | #12 |
| 2016 | 34 | #4,323 | 14,145 | #8 |
| 2015 | 36 | #4,120 | 14,504 | #9 |
| 2014 | 35 | #4,235 | 15,505 | #7 |
| 2013 | 39 | #3,893 | 15,544 | #7 |
| 2012 | 27 | #5,203 | 16,211 | #7 |
| 2011 | 36 | #4,129 | 16,823 | #6 |
| 2010 | 37 | #4,084 | 17,387 | #3 |
| 2009 | 45 | #3,601 | 18,964 | #3 |
| 2008 | 55 | #3,110 | 20,652 | #2 |
| 2007 | 52 | #3,277 | 22,027 | #2 |
| 2006 | 64 | #2,770 | 22,653 | #2 |
| 2005 | 61 | #2,748 | 23,828 | #2 |
| 2004 | 148 | #1,409 | 25,470 | #2 |
| 2003 | 94 | #1,944 | 27,129 | #2 |
| 2002 | 95 | #1,884 | 28,258 | #2 |
| 2001 | 96 | #1,846 | 29,689 | #2 |
| 2000 | 114 | #1,568 | 32,045 | #2 |
| 1995 | 167 | #1,073 | 41,409 | #1 |
| 1990 | 277 | #751 | 65,321 | #1 |
| 1985 | 531 | #419 | 64,934 | #1 |
| 1980 | 546 | #409 | 68,683 | #1 |
| 1975 | 557 | #373 | 68,418 | #1 |
| 1970 | 457 | #461 | 85,266 | #1 |
| 1965 | 355 | #504 | 80,992 | #1 |
| 1960 | 316 | #548 | 84,153 | #2 |
| 1955 | 250 | #579 | 88,355 | #1 |
| 1950 | 179 | #642 | 65,136 | #4 |
| 1945 | 158 | #583 | 29,902 | #9 |
| 1940 | 80 | #793 | 13,228 | #18 |
| 1935 | 32 | #1,296 | 4,906 | #41 |
| 1930 | 36 | #1,267 | 3,543 | #54 |
| 1925 | 34 | #1,400 | 3,761 | #55 |
| 1920 | 22 | #1,868 | 4,003 | #50 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,214 | 4,079 | #43 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,721 | 844 | #45 |
| 1905 | — | — | 513 | #45 |
| 1900 | — | — | 495 | #51 |
| 1895 | — | — | 413 | #52 |
| 1890 | — | — | 394 | #48 |
| 1885 | — | — | 370 | #47 |
| 1880 | — | — | 354 | #46 |
Famous people named Michael
- Michael Faraday Physicist · 1791–1867
- Michael Jackson Musician · 1958–2009
- Michael Collins Astronaut · b. 1930
- Michael Douglas Actor · b. 1944
- Michael Caine Actor · b. 1933
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Michael mean?
A male given name from Hebrew.
How popular is the name Michael in 2025?
Michael ranked #21 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8,094 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Michael?
4,448,633 babies have been named Michael in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Michael most popular?
Michael peaked in 1957, when 93,036 newborns received the name.
Is Michael a boy or girl name?
Michael is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Michael rising or falling?
Michael is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Michael?
Well-known people named Michael include Michael Faraday (physicist), Michael Jackson (musician), Michael Collins (astronaut).