Michael
- #7,885 for girls in 2025, 13 births
- #21 for boys in 2025, 8,094 births
- #1 for boys 38 years in a row, 1961–1998 (44 years in all)
- Given to boys 99.5% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1957 · 92,781 births
- Debut · boys
- 354 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 146 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 4,426,753since 1880
Michael over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #7,885 | 13 | #21 | 8,094 |
| 2024 | #6,932 | 16 | #18 | 8,229 |
| 2023 | #5,960 | 20 | #16 | 8,430 |
| 2022 | #6,229 | 19 | #16 | 8,895 |
| 2021 | #4,833 | 27 | #17 | 9,150 |
| 2020 | #5,168 | 24 | #12 | 9,833 |
| 2019 | #4,260 | 33 | #14 | 10,619 |
| 2018 | #6,010 | 20 | #14 | 11,756 |
| 2017 | #4,220 | 34 | #12 | 12,726 |
| 2016 | #4,250 | 34 | #8 | 14,145 |
| 2015 | #4,069 | 36 | #9 | 14,504 |
| 2014 | #4,178 | 35 | #7 | 15,505 |
| 2013 | #3,849 | 39 | #7 | 15,544 |
| 2012 | #5,114 | 27 | #7 | 16,211 |
| 2011 | #4,072 | 36 | #6 | 16,823 |
| 2010 | #4,023 | 37 | #3 | 17,387 |
| 2009 | #3,561 | 45 | #3 | 18,964 |
| 2008 | #3,084 | 55 | #2 | 20,652 |
| 2007 | #3,247 | 52 | #2 | 22,027 |
| 2006 | #2,757 | 64 | #2 | 22,653 |
| 2005 | #2,731 | 61 | #2 | 23,828 |
| 2004 | #1,404 | 148 | #2 | 25,470 |
| 2003 | #1,925 | 94 | #2 | 27,129 |
| 2002 | #1,866 | 95 | #2 | 28,258 |
| 2001 | #1,833 | 96 | #2 | 29,689 |
| 2000 | #1,558 | 114 | #2 | 32,045 |
| 1999 | #1,422 | 123 | #2 | 33,915 |
| 1998 | #1,359 | 128 | #1 | 36,618 |
| 1997 | #1,249 | 142 | #1 | 37,562 |
| 1996 | #1,155 | 157 | #1 | 38,373 |
| 1995 | #1,067 | 167 | #1 | 41,409 |
| 1994 | #965 | 192 | #1 | 44,477 |
| 1993 | #870 | 223 | #1 | 49,571 |
| 1992 | #789 | 258 | #1 | 54,410 |
| 1991 | #769 | 267 | #1 | 60,810 |
| 1990 | #747 | 277 | #1 | 65,321 |
| 1989 | #594 | 363 | #1 | 65,415 |
| 1988 | #472 | 480 | #1 | 64,171 |
| 1987 | #410 | 544 | #1 | 63,664 |
| 1986 | #392 | 590 | #1 | 64,235 |
| 1985 | #419 | 531 | #1 | 64,934 |
| 1984 | #419 | 508 | #1 | 67,735 |
| 1983 | #385 | 577 | #1 | 68,004 |
| 1982 | #403 | 576 | #1 | 68,216 |
| 1981 | #439 | 487 | #1 | 68,750 |
| 1980 | #409 | 546 | #1 | 68,683 |
| 1979 | #393 | 554 | #1 | 67,713 |
| 1978 | #384 | 545 | #1 | 67,127 |
| 1977 | #378 | 560 | #1 | 67,587 |
| 1976 | #398 | 515 | #1 | 66,915 |
| 1975 | #373 | 557 | #1 | 68,418 |
| 1974 | #392 | 525 | #1 | 67,534 |
| 1973 | #431 | 451 | #1 | 67,797 |
| 1972 | #431 | 452 | #1 | 71,393 |
| 1971 | #448 | 459 | #1 | 77,577 |
| 1970 | #461 | 457 | #1 | 85,266 |
| 1969 | #449 | 459 | #1 | 85,162 |
| 1968 | #440 | 471 | #1 | 81,968 |
| 1967 | #494 | 373 | #1 | 82,411 |
| 1966 | #509 | 346 | #1 | 79,985 |
| 1965 | #504 | 355 | #1 | 80,992 |
| 1964 | #565 | 303 | #1 | 82,617 |
| 1963 | #501 | 376 | #1 | 83,771 |
| 1962 | #519 | 356 | #1 | 85,059 |
| 1961 | #546 | 324 | #1 | 86,974 |
| 1960 | #547 | 316 | #2 | 84,153 |
| 1959 | #587 | 285 | #1 | 85,294 |
| 1958 | #572 | 295 | #1 | 90,604 |
| 1957 | #611 | 255 | #1 | 92,781 |
| 1956 | #620 | 238 | #1 | 90,691 |
| 1955 | #577 | 250 | #1 | 88,355 |
| 1954 | #616 | 217 | #1 | 88,568 |
| 1953 | #581 | 232 | #3 | 84,198 |
| 1952 | #644 | 190 | #4 | 79,037 |
| 1951 | #668 | 172 | #4 | 72,807 |
| 1950 | #640 | 179 | #4 | 65,136 |
| 1949 | #602 | 188 | #5 | 60,047 |
| 1948 | #637 | 170 | #6 | 52,566 |
| 1947 | #635 | 173 | #7 | 50,506 |
| 1946 | #611 | 169 | #7 | 41,194 |
| 1945 | #583 | 158 | #9 | 29,902 |
| 1944 | #562 | 168 | #9 | 26,717 |
| 1943 | #550 | 188 | #10 | 24,745 |
| 1942 | #593 | 156 | #13 | 21,728 |
| 1941 | #713 | 97 | #16 | 15,935 |
| 1940 | #790 | 80 | #18 | 13,228 |
| 1939 | #763 | 81 | #18 | 10,828 |
| 1938 | #931 | 58 | #21 | 9,077 |
| 1937 | #1,035 | 47 | #27 | 7,094 |
| 1936 | #1,115 | 40 | #33 | 5,800 |
| 1935 | #1,264 | 32 | #41 | 4,906 |
| 1934 | #1,697 | 20 | #47 | 4,108 |
| 1933 | #1,442 | 26 | #53 | 3,549 |
| 1932 | #1,754 | 20 | #54 | 3,607 |
| 1931 | #1,549 | 24 | #55 | 3,489 |
| 1930 | #1,251 | 36 | #54 | 3,543 |
| 1929 | #1,306 | 33 | #54 | 3,464 |
| 1928 | #1,338 | 33 | #53 | 3,598 |
| 1927 | #1,523 | 29 | #52 | 3,605 |
| 1926 | #1,414 | 32 | #56 | 3,485 |
| 1925 | #1,376 | 34 | #55 | 3,761 |
| 1924 | #1,354 | 36 | #54 | 3,874 |
| 1923 | #1,520 | 29 | #50 | 3,915 |
| 1922 | #1,464 | 31 | #48 | 3,990 |
| 1921 | #1,765 | 24 | #47 | 4,198 |
| 1920 | #1,816 | 22 | #50 | 4,003 |
| 1919 | #1,649 | 24 | #46 | 3,909 |
| 1918 | #1,411 | 30 | #45 | 4,296 |
| 1917 | #2,552 | 12 | #44 | 4,288 |
| 1916 | #1,867 | 18 | #44 | 4,210 |
| 1915 | #2,143 | 14 | #43 | 4,079 |
| 1914 | #1,665 | 16 | #40 | 3,362 |
| 1913 | #1,766 | 12 | #40 | 2,607 |
| 1912 | #2,144 | 8 | #42 | 2,104 |
| 1911 | #1,956 | 7 | #38 | 1,159 |
| 1910 | #1,634 | 9 | #45 | 844 |
| 1909 | #1,763 | 7 | #47 | 635 |
| 1908 | — | #44 | 688 | |
| 1907 | — | #48 | 586 | |
| 1906 | #1,951 | 5 | #46 | 531 |
| 1905 | — | #45 | 513 | |
| 1904 | — | #50 | 462 | |
| 1903 | — | #47 | 466 | |
| 1902 | — | #48 | 460 | |
| 1901 | — | #52 | 384 | |
| 1900 | — | #51 | 495 | |
| 1899 | — | #51 | 375 | |
| 1898 | — | #51 | 434 | |
| 1897 | #1,263 | 7 | #57 | 368 |
| 1896 | — | #53 | 399 | |
| 1895 | — | #52 | 413 | |
| 1894 | — | #50 | 423 | |
| 1893 | — | #49 | 407 | |
| 1892 | — | #59 | 380 | |
| 1891 | — | #54 | 333 | |
| 1890 | — | #48 | 394 | |
| 1889 | — | #51 | 377 | |
| 1888 | — | #46 | 466 | |
| 1887 | — | #48 | 344 | |
| 1886 | — | #53 | 348 | |
| 1885 | — | #46 | 370 | |
| 1884 | — | #51 | 373 | |
| 1883 | — | #55 | 307 | |
| 1882 | — | #57 | 321 | |
| 1881 | — | #54 | 298 | |
| 1880 | — | #46 | 354 | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Michael was already there! It came in at #46, and was given to 354 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1887, when fewer than 380 boys a year got the name.
Where Michael is popular in 2025
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- New Jersey#7 · 1 in 116
- Pennsylvania#10 · 1 in 136
- Maryland#12 · 1 in 152
- New York#13 · 1 in 140
- Mississippi#13 · 1 in 144
Best ever in a state: #1 in Hawaii, 1948.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | #7 | 343 | 1 in 116 |
| Pennsylvania | #10 | 385 | 1 in 136 |
| Maryland | #12 | 151 | 1 in 152 |
| Mississippi | #13 | 75 | 1 in 144 |
| New York | #13 | 604 | 1 in 140 |
| Connecticut | #14 | 105 | 1 in 126 |
| Alaska | #15 | 24 | 1 in 95 |
| Illinois | #15 | 329 | 1 in 151 |
| Nevada | #15 | 77 | 1 in 147 |
| Rhode Island | #16 | 31 | 1 in 101 |
| Wyoming | #16 | 14 | 1 in 78 |
| New Mexico | #17 | 47 | 1 in 138 |
| Ohio | #17 | 324 | 1 in 162 |
| South Carolina | #17 | 134 | 1 in 158 |
| Michigan | #19 | 227 | 1 in 177 |
| Delaware | #20 | 26 | 1 in 113 |
| Florida | #20 | 529 | 1 in 181 |
| Virginia | #20 | 215 | 1 in 173 |
| Massachusetts | #21 | 188 | 1 in 144 |
| Louisiana | #22 | 101 | 1 in 189 |
| North Carolina | #23 | 275 | 1 in 187 |
| Alabama | #24 | 116 | 1 in 185 |
| Missouri | #25 | 155 | 1 in 179 |
| Arizona | #26 | 169 | 1 in 194 |
| California | #26 | 875 | 1 in 201 |
| Kansas | #27 | 79 | 1 in 178 |
| Tennessee | #28 | 188 | 1 in 196 |
| Kentucky | #29 | 115 | 1 in 179 |
| Nebraska | #32 | 49 | 1 in 180 |
| Arkansas | #33 | 63 | 1 in 200 |
| Georgia | #33 | 217 | 1 in 231 |
| Texas | #33 | 782 | 1 in 224 |
| Hawaii | #34 | 19 | 1 in 154 |
| Idaho | #34 | 49 | 1 in 176 |
| South Dakota | #37 | 23 | 1 in 167 |
| Maine | #38 | 27 | 1 in 142 |
| Washington | #38 | 144 | 1 in 228 |
| New Hampshire | #40 | 29 | 1 in 155 |
| Oklahoma | #40 | 79 | 1 in 224 |
| Iowa | #42 | 63 | 1 in 220 |
| District of Columbia | #43 | 16 | 1 in 158 |
| Colorado | #44 | 116 | 1 in 231 |
| Oregon | #48 | 64 | 1 in 235 |
| Indiana | #49 | 129 | 1 in 245 |
| Montana | #49 | 21 | 1 in 179 |
| Wisconsin | #51 | 94 | 1 in 249 |
| North Dakota | #53 | 18 | 1 in 186 |
| Minnesota | #59 | 90 | 1 in 272 |
| Utah | #64 | 68 | 1 in 289 |
| West Virginia | #65 | 27 | 1 in 228 |
| Vermont | #80 | 6 | 1 in 202 |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Michael
Momentum · boys
Falling
- 9 spots since 2020 (#12 → #21)
- Biggest jump: 10 spots in 1893
- Biggest drop: 8 spots in 1881
Rise & fade · boys
77 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1957 at #1 (92,781 births)
- Births halved by 1994, 37 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
#1 for 44 yrs
- #1: 44 yrs · run 1961–1998
- Top 10: 74 yrs · run 1943–2016
- Top 100: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 21
- Highest: 1 in 21 boys born in 1969 were named Michael (4.8%)
- Latest: 1 in 211 boys born in 2025 (0.47%)
- Its best rank, #1 in 1957, was only 1 in 23 (4.3%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1950s
- 18.9% of all boys named Michael (837,471) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,558 | #46 (1888) | #51 |
| 1890s | 3,926 | #48 (1890) | #52 |
| 1900s | 5,220 | #44 (1908) | #48 |
| 1910s | 30,858 | #38 (1911) | #43 |
| 1920s | 37,893 | #47 (1921) | #52 |
| 1930s | 56,001 | #18 (1939) | #40 |
| 1940s | 336,568 | #5 (1949) | #10 |
| 1950s | 837,471 | #1 (1957) | #2 |
| 1960s | 833,092 | #1 (1961) | #1 |
| 1970s | 707,327 | #1 (1970) | #1 |
| 1980s | 663,807 | #1 (1981) | #1 |
| 1990s | 462,466 | #1 (1990) | #1 |
| 2000s | 250,715 | #2 (2000) | #2 |
| 2010s | 145,220 | #3 (2010) | #9 |
| 2020s | 52,631 | #12 (2020) | #17 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Want to check a specific year?
See where Michael ranked and which names it was up against. Click a point on the chart, or pick a year: