Michelle
Borrowed from French Michelle, feminine form of French Michel (“Michael”), Hebrew מִיכָאֵל (mikhaél, “who is like God?”).
Every Michelle since 1915 — 819,760 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Michelle
Michelle is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #465 in 2025 with 661 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1915, 819,760 American babies have been named Michelle. Its peak came in 1969, when 34,457 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Michelle stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Michelle 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 | 661 | #465 | — | — |
| 2024 | 775 | #409 | — | — |
| 2023 | 766 | #401 | — | — |
| 2022 | 827 | #377 | — | — |
| 2021 | 799 | #395 | — | — |
| 2020 | 923 | #336 | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,144 | #292 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,249 | #263 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,429 | #217 | — | — |
| 2016 | 1,562 | #209 | — | — |
| 2015 | 1,706 | #192 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,751 | #188 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,892 | #168 | — | — |
| 2012 | 1,935 | #162 | — | — |
| 2011 | 2,180 | #144 | 10 | #7,895 |
| 2010 | 2,510 | #125 | 9 | #8,569 |
| 2009 | 3,078 | #104 | 6 | #11,968 |
| 2008 | 3,343 | #101 | 11 | #7,547 |
| 2007 | 3,596 | #94 | 8 | #9,458 |
| 2006 | 4,090 | #81 | 11 | #7,264 |
| 2005 | 4,312 | #74 | 11 | #6,952 |
| 2004 | 4,720 | #66 | 16 | #5,175 |
| 2003 | 4,873 | #62 | 15 | #5,189 |
| 2002 | 4,950 | #58 | 17 | #4,638 |
| 2001 | 5,033 | #59 | 19 | #4,234 |
| 2000 | 5,545 | #52 | 24 | #3,495 |
| 1995 | 7,392 | #41 | 35 | #2,281 |
| 1990 | 13,425 | #22 | 56 | #1,526 |
| 1985 | 13,973 | #22 | 68 | #1,132 |
| 1980 | 19,119 | #10 | 100 | #897 |
| 1975 | 22,665 | #6 | 113 | #781 |
| 1970 | 34,047 | #4 | 125 | #735 |
| 1965 | 16,215 | #18 | 53 | #1,015 |
| 1960 | 9,893 | #39 | 29 | #1,511 |
| 1955 | 4,526 | #97 | 12 | #2,395 |
| 1950 | 1,633 | #174 | — | — |
| 1945 | 499 | #307 | — | — |
| 1940 | 92 | #728 | — | — |
| 1935 | 27 | #1,435 | — | — |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,514 | — | — |
| 1925 | 14 | #2,572 | — | — |
| 1920 | 9 | #3,522 | — | — |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,754 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Michelle
- Michelle Bachelet Politician · b. 1951
- Michelle Pfeiffer Actor · b. 1958
- Michelle Obama Companion · b. 1964
- Michelle Rodriguez Actor · b. 1978
- Michelle of Valois Politician · 1395–1422
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Michelle mean?
Borrowed from French Michelle, feminine form of French Michel (“Michael”), Hebrew מִיכָאֵל (mikhaél, “who is like God?”).
How popular is the name Michelle in 2025?
Michelle ranked #465 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 661 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Michelle?
819,760 babies have been named Michelle in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Michelle most popular?
Michelle peaked in 1969, when 34,457 newborns received the name.
Is Michelle a boy or girl name?
Michelle is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Michelle rising or falling?
Michelle is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Michelle?
Well-known people named Michelle include Michelle Bachelet (politician), Michelle Pfeiffer (actor), Michelle Obama (companion).