Michael
5 countries#21 in United States, 2025Popularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Michael was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
4,448,633 births recorded 1880–2025 · currently #21 · peaked in 1957 with 93,036 births
Most common in: New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
81,317 births recorded 1904–2022 · currently #885 · peaked in 1973 with 4,472 births
Most common in: Nord, Paris, Pas-de-Calais, Bouches-du-Rhône, Moselle
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
72,482 births recorded 1974–2025 · currently #56 · peaked in 1996 with 4,741 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
45,214 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #77 · peaked in 1996 with 4,187 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
23,776 births recorded 1974–2025 · currently #65 · peaked in 1990 with 973 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
3,492 births recorded 1997–2025 · currently #38 · peaked in 1997 with 263 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
Michael’s rank among boys’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #2 | — |
| 2007 | #2 | — |
| 2008 | #2 | — |
| 2009 | #3 | ↓1 |
| 2010 | #3 | — |
| 2011 | #6 | ↓3 |
| 2012 | #7 | ↓1 |
| 2013 | #7 | — |
| 2014 | #7 | — |
| 2015 | #9 | ↓2 |
| 2016 | #8 | ↑1 |
| 2017 | #12 | ↓4 |
| 2018 | #14 | ↓2 |
| 2019 | #14 | — |
| 2020 | #12 | ↑2 |
| 2021 | #17 | ↓5 |
| 2022 | #16 | ↑1 |
| 2023 | #16 | — |
| 2024 | #18 | ↓2 |
| 2025 | #21 | ↓3 |
Frequently asked questions about Michael
Is Michael a popular name?
Yes — Michael currently ranks #21 among boys’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is Michael more common for boys or girls?
Michael is recorded predominantly as a boys’ name in official United States birth data.
When was Michael most popular?
Michael peaked in 1957 in United States, with 93,036 recorded births that year.
Is Michael rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, Michael’s popularity is rising — its rank has improved from #46 in 1880 to #21 in 2025.
How many babies have been named Michael?
At least 4,602,432 babies have been recorded with the name Michael across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is Michael popular in more than one country?
Yes — Michael appears in official birth records in 5 countries: United States, France, England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to Michael?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to Michael include Leo, Ezra, Daniel, John.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Michael in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.