Baby Name Popularity Profile

Michael

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Michael.

✦ Who is like God? 🌍 Hebrew biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #21
All-Time Peak Rank #1 Achieved 1954
Total U.S. Births 4,426,753 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.8% Boy / 0.2% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1950s 92,781 births in 1957
πŸ’‘ The Michael Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Who is like God?
Language Origin Hebrew
Origin Type single
Derived from the Hebrew name Mikha'el, meaning 'who is like God?'.
Common Nicknames
Mike Mikey
Alternative Spellings
Mikael Michel Miguel Mikhail
Pronunciation: MY-kΙ™l
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Michael

According to SSA data, Michael achieved its highest historical rank of #1 in 1954. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1957 with 92,781 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 44.2%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Michael across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -44.2% Decline
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 92,781 births in 1957
Years in Top 100 146 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Very Stable
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 3,558
1890s: 3,926
1900s: 5,220
1910s: 30,858
1920s: 37,893
1930s: 56,001
1940s: 336,568
1950s: 837,471
1960s: 833,092
1970s: 707,327
1980s: 663,807
1990s: 462,466
2000s: 250,715
2010s: 145,220
2020s: 52,631

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Mic-hael
Letter Count 7 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 54.1% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 54.1% of SSA names. Starts with M, a letter used by only 7.6% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Michael.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Rhode Island
Top States Rhode Island, District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Rhode Island #18 25,240 1958 +6.9% Growth
District of Columbia #45 29,670 1958 40.7% Decline
Connecticut #15 69,986 1965 32.7% Decline
Delaware #21 12,954 1958 23.5% Decline
New Jersey #7 170,624 1961 12.7% Decline
Alaska #17 8,407 1982 7.7% Decline
Massachusetts #22 145,902 1958 28.2% Decline
New York #13 441,269 1963 23.0% Decline
Wyoming #19 7,255 1953 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire #42 16,875 1958 17.1% Decline
Vermont #95 9,133 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #19 198,640 1957 26.3% Decline
Illinois #15 257,375 1957 24.2% Decline
Maryland #12 78,386 1957 21.8% Decline
Pennsylvania #10 272,409 1957 21.7% Decline
Ohio #17 230,193 1957 6.1% Decline
Wisconsin #51 96,746 1957 29.9% Decline
Maine #40 21,124 1958 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #49 110,770 1954 33.8% Decline
Hawaii #35 14,033 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #61 82,712 1957 18.9% Decline
Oregon #49 40,534 1953 20.0% Decline
Nevada #16 14,668 1990 19.8% Decline
Washington #38 71,068 1954 8.3% Decline
California #26 436,105 1957 19.1% Decline
Missouri #25 97,065 1954 0.6% Decline
Montana #50 13,264 1954 38.2% Decline
Florida #20 147,835 1990 18.7% Decline
New Mexico #18 22,705 1957 2.1% Decline
Nebraska #32 30,665 1955 15.5% Decline
Colorado #44 50,018 1970 4.9% Decline
Iowa #43 54,423 1951 8.7% Decline
Virginia #21 91,240 1957 19.2% Decline
Kansas #28 42,059 1954 10.2% Decline
Idaho #34 15,292 1954 +28.9% Growth
Arizona #26 47,307 1984 15.1% Decline
South Dakota #38 13,016 1955 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia #67 34,691 1952 48.1% Decline
Louisiana #22 66,334 1958 27.3% Decline
Kentucky #30 63,255 1954 +7.5% Growth
North Dakota #58 12,366 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #66 29,579 1980 17.1% Decline
Tennessee #28 74,684 1956 3.1% Decline
Oklahoma #40 47,187 1953 31.3% Decline
North Carolina #24 96,294 1970 3.5% Decline
Georgia #34 91,691 1970 27.7% Decline
Alabama #24 59,026 1958 21.1% Decline
South Carolina #17 46,182 1971 +7.2% Growth
Texas #33 236,684 1984 17.5% Decline
Arkansas #34 32,600 1973 +6.8% Growth
Mississippi #13 35,775 1970 +2.7% Growth

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
Joseph Thomas David Kenneth Stephen Douglas Stanley Frankie Darrell Unknown
πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
Kathryn Roxanne Darlene Therese Unknown Kathlyn Janette Jeannie Darleen Laureen

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