Michael
Say it: MY-kul/ˈmaɪkəl/
BoyMeans who is like God?7 letters2 syllables
#22
in Ireland (2025)
#23 with spellings combined
188
babies in 2025
#2
best rank (1966)
55,538
babies since 1964
Down 15
10-year rank change
Michael through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 188 | #23 |
| 2024 | 218 | #17 |
| 2023 | 239 | #16 |
| 2022 | 278 | #13 |
| 2021 | 310 | #13 |
| 2020 | 275 | #18 |
| 2019 | 302 | #17 |
| 2018 | 354 | #9 |
| 2017 | 359 | #10 |
| 2016 | 394 | #9 |
| 2015 | 434 | #8 |
| 2014 | 379 | #14 |
| 2013 | 432 | #8 |
| 2012 | 462 | #10 |
| 2011 | 496 | #9 |
| 2010 | 463 | #12 |
| 2009 | 499 | #10 |
| 2008 | 483 | #13 |
| 2007 | 521 | #10 |
| 2006 | 509 | #9 |
| 2005 | 484 | #10 |
| 2004 | 527 | #9 |
| 2003 | 525 | #7 |
| 2002 | 520 | #8 |
| 2001 | 483 | #10 |
| 2000 | 483 | #9 |
| 1999 | 527 | #6 |
| 1998 | 438 | #9 |
| 1997 | 676 | #4 |
| 1996 | 687 | #4 |
| 1995 | 614 | #7 |
| 1994 | 693 | #5 |
| 1993 | 722 | #4 |
| 1992 | 794 | #2 |
| 1991 | 798 | #5 |
| 1990 | 883 | #3 |
| 1989 | 899 | #3 |
| 1988 | 903 | #3 |
| 1987 | 956 | #3 |
| 1986 | 1,065 | #3 |
| 1985 | 1,078 | #3 |
| 1984 | 1,214 | #3 |
| 1983 | 1,174 | #3 |
| 1982 | 1,254 | #3 |
| 1981 | 1,320 | #3 |
| 1980 | 1,426 | #3 |
| 1979 | 1,332 | #4 |
| 1978 | 1,327 | #4 |
| 1977 | 1,349 | #3 |
| 1976 | 1,413 | #3 |
| 1975 | 1,389 | #2 |
| 1974 | 1,536 | #2 |
| 1973 | 1,600 | #2 |
| 1972 | 1,639 | #2 |
| 1971 | 1,745 | #2 |
| 1970 | 1,708 | #2 |
| 1969 | 1,753 | #3 |
| 1968 | 1,825 | #3 |
| 1967 | 1,958 | #2 |
| 1966 | 2,012 | #2 |
| 1965 | 2,057 | #3 |
| 1964 | 2,157 | #3 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Michael mean?
Who is like God?
Hebrew, the name of the archangel Michael.
Say it right
MYkul
The Irish form, Mícheál, is said mee-HAWL in Munster and MEE-awl in Connacht.
The story of Michael
Michael comes from a Hebrew name meaning “Who is like God?”, a question whose expected answer is that no one is. It belongs to the archangel Michael, the chief of the angels and the warrior of God in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In the Book of Revelation he battles Satan in heaven. In Irish the name is Mícheál, and Skellig Michael, off the Kerry coast, is named after the archangel.
Michael was one of Ireland’s most common boys’ names in the early CSO records. In the mid-1960s about 2,000 boys a year were named Michael. It was number 2 in 1966, and it stayed in or close to the top ten until 2018.
It has slipped since, to 23rd in 2025 on the combined count. In Northern Ireland it was seventh in 1997 and 38th in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Michael (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Mícheál (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Michael (given name)
- Wikipedia: Michael (archangel)
- Wikipedia: Skellig Michael
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
MickMickeyMike
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Michael | 188 | 55,538 |
In Northern Ireland
#38 in 2025 with 50 babies. Best rank #7 (1997); 3,492 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.