Michael

#7,885 for girls in 2025, 13 births · #21 for boys in 2025, 8,094 births
Given to boys 99.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1957 · 92,781 births
Debut · boys
354 births
In top 100 · boys
146 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
4,426,753
since 1880

Michael over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020202016peak #1, 1957boys
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
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#7,88513#218,094
2024#6,93216#188,229
2023#5,96020#168,430
2022#6,22919#168,895
2021#4,83327#179,150
2020#5,16824#129,833
2019#4,26033#1410,619
2018#6,01020#1411,756
2017#4,22034#1212,726
2016#4,25034#814,145
2015#4,06936#914,504
2014#4,17835#715,505
2013#3,84939#715,544
2012#5,11427#716,211
2011#4,07236#616,823
2010#4,02337#317,387
2009#3,56145#318,964
2008#3,08455#220,652
2007#3,24752#222,027
2006#2,75764#222,653
2005#2,73161#223,828
2004#1,404148#225,470
2003#1,92594#227,129
2002#1,86695#228,258
2001#1,83396#229,689
2000#1,558114#232,045
1999#1,422123#233,915
1998#1,359128#136,618
1997#1,249142#137,562
1996#1,155157#138,373
1995#1,067167#141,409
1994#965192#144,477
1993#870223#149,571
1992#789258#154,410
1991#769267#160,810
1990#747277#165,321
1989#594363#165,415
1988#472480#164,171
1987#410544#163,664
1986#392590#164,235
1985#419531#164,934
1984#419508#167,735
1983#385577#168,004
1982#403576#168,216
1981#439487#168,750
1980#409546#168,683
1979#393554#167,713
1978#384545#167,127
1977#378560#167,587
1976#398515#166,915
1975#373557#168,418
1974#392525#167,534
1973#431451#167,797
1972#431452#171,393
1971#448459#177,577
1970#461457#185,266
1969#449459#185,162
1968#440471#181,968
1967#494373#182,411
1966#509346#179,985
1965#504355#180,992
1964#565303#182,617
1963#501376#183,771
1962#519356#185,059
1961#546324#186,974
1960#547316#284,153
1959#587285#185,294
1958#572295#190,604
1957#611255#192,781
1956#620238#190,691
1955#577250#188,355
1954#616217#188,568
1953#581232#384,198
1952#644190#479,037
1951#668172#472,807
1950#640179#465,136
1949#602188#560,047
1948#637170#652,566
1947#635173#750,506
1946#611169#741,194
1945#583158#929,902
1944#562168#926,717
1943#550188#1024,745
1942#593156#1321,728
1941#71397#1615,935
1940#79080#1813,228
1939#76381#1810,828
1938#93158#219,077
1937#1,03547#277,094
1936#1,11540#335,800
1935#1,26432#414,906
1934#1,69720#474,108
1933#1,44226#533,549
1932#1,75420#543,607
1931#1,54924#553,489
1930#1,25136#543,543
1929#1,30633#543,464
1928#1,33833#533,598
1927#1,52329#523,605
1926#1,41432#563,485
1925#1,37634#553,761
1924#1,35436#543,874
1923#1,52029#503,915
1922#1,46431#483,990
1921#1,76524#474,198
1920#1,81622#504,003
1919#1,64924#463,909
1918#1,41130#454,296
1917#2,55212#444,288
1916#1,86718#444,210
1915#2,14314#434,079
1914#1,66516#403,362
1913#1,76612#402,607
1912#2,1448#422,104
1911#1,9567#381,159
1910#1,6349#45844
1909#1,7637#47635
1908—#44688
1907—#48586
1906#1,9515#46531
1905—#45513
1904—#50462
1903—#47466
1902—#48460
1901—#52384
1900—#51495
1899—#51375
1898—#51434
1897#1,2637#57368
1896—#53399
1895—#52413
1894—#50423
1893—#49407
1892—#59380
1891—#54333
1890—#48394
1889—#51377
1888—#46466
1887—#48344
1886—#53348
1885—#46370
1884—#51373
1883—#55307
1882—#57321
1881—#54298
1880—#46354
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 2016

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #20 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 122 boysAKMaine: #30 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 130 boysMEVermont: #17 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 92 boysVTNew Hampshire: #50 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 160 boysNHWashington: #21 for boys · 243 births · 1 in 152 boysWAIdaho: #33 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 164 boysIDMontana: #13 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 101 boysMTNorth Dakota: #32 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 147 boysNDMinnesota: #26 for boys · 167 births · 1 in 168 boysMNIllinois: #6 for boys · 620 births · 1 in 103 boysILWisconsin: #16 for boys · 208 births · 1 in 129 boysWIMichigan: #15 for boys · 369 births · 1 in 129 boysMINew York: #5 for boys · 1,094 births · 1 in 91 boysNYMassachusetts: #8 for boys · 334 births · 1 in 88 boysMARhode Island: #4 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 57 boysRIOregon: #19 for boys · 133 births · 1 in 138 boysORNevada: #12 for boys · 122 births · 1 in 110 boysNVWyoming: #34 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 109 boysWYSouth Dakota: #21 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 120 boysSDIowa: #26 for boys · 92 births · 1 in 166 boysIAIndiana: #14 for boys · 280 births · 1 in 127 boysINOhio: #13 for boys · 465 births · 1 in 128 boysOHPennsylvania: #6 for boys · 584 births · 1 in 101 boysPANew Jersey: #4 for boys · 510 births · 1 in 81 boysNJConnecticut: #3 for boys · 198 births · 1 in 71 boysCTCalifornia: #13 for boys · 1,779 births · 1 in 126 boysCAUtah: #20 for boys · 140 births · 1 in 150 boysUTColorado: #18 for boys · 202 births · 1 in 136 boysCONebraska: #14 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 128 boysNEMissouri: #18 for boys · 219 births · 1 in 144 boysMOKentucky: #24 for boys · 155 births · 1 in 141 boysKYWest Virginia: #22 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 113 boysWVVirginia: #11 for boys · 367 births · 1 in 113 boysVAMaryland: #5 for boys · 280 births · 1 in 98 boysMDDelaware: #2 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 57 boysDEArizona: #5 for boys · 324 births · 1 in 111 boysAZNew Mexico: #4 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 89 boysNMKansas: #25 for boys · 102 births · 1 in 154 boysKSArkansas: #18 for boys · 96 births · 1 in 150 boysARTennessee: #11 for boys · 280 births · 1 in 129 boysTNNorth Carolina: #8 for boys · 426 births · 1 in 122 boysNCSouth Carolina: #8 for boys · 204 births · 1 in 104 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #10 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 89 boysDCOklahoma: #11 for boys · 150 births · 1 in 135 boysOKLouisiana: #11 for boys · 190 births · 1 in 129 boysLAMississippi: #10 for boys · 109 births · 1 in 123 boysMSAlabama: #8 for boys · 208 births · 1 in 111 boysALGeorgia: #9 for boys · 454 births · 1 in 118 boysGAHawaii: #17 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 118 boysHITexas: #11 for boys · 1,379 births · 1 in 134 boysTXFlorida: #6 for boys · 926 births · 1 in 106 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Delaware#2 · 1 in 57
  2. Connecticut#3 · 1 in 71
  3. Rhode Island#4 · 1 in 57
  4. New Jersey#4 · 1 in 81
  5. New Mexico#4 · 1 in 89

Best ever in a state: #1 in Hawaii, 1948.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Delaware#2621 in 57
Connecticut#31981 in 71
New Jersey#45101 in 81
New Mexico#4941 in 89
Rhode Island#4691 in 57
Arizona#53241 in 111
Maryland#52801 in 98
New York#51,0941 in 91
Florida#69261 in 106
Illinois#66201 in 103
Pennsylvania#65841 in 101
Alabama#82081 in 111
Massachusetts#83341 in 88
North Carolina#84261 in 122
South Carolina#82041 in 104
Georgia#94541 in 118
District of Columbia#10501 in 89
Mississippi#101091 in 123
Louisiana#111901 in 129
Oklahoma#111501 in 135
Tennessee#112801 in 129
Texas#111,3791 in 134
Virginia#113671 in 113
Nevada#121221 in 110
California#131,7791 in 126
Montana#13391 in 101
Ohio#134651 in 128
Indiana#142801 in 127
Nebraska#14781 in 128
Michigan#153691 in 129
Wisconsin#162081 in 129
Hawaii#17391 in 118
Vermont#17181 in 92
Arkansas#18961 in 150
Colorado#182021 in 136
Missouri#182191 in 144
Oregon#191331 in 138
Alaska#20271 in 122
Utah#201401 in 150
South Dakota#21341 in 120
Washington#212431 in 152
West Virginia#22691 in 113
Kentucky#241551 in 141
Kansas#251021 in 154
Iowa#26921 in 166
Minnesota#261671 in 168
Maine#30351 in 130
North Dakota#32281 in 147
Idaho#33491 in 164
Wyoming#34161 in 109
New Hampshire#50291 in 160

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
  • 3 spots since 2024 (#18 → #21)
  • 9 spots since 2020 (#12 → #21)
  • 12 spots since 2015 (#9 → #21)
  • Biggest jump: 10 spots in 1893 (#59 → #49)
  • Biggest drop: 8 spots in 1881 (#46 → #54)
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
Top 10 for 74 yrs
  • 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
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s3,558#46 (1888)#51
1890s3,926#48 (1890)#52
1900s5,220#44 (1908)#48
1910s30,858#38 (1911)#43
1920s37,893#47 (1921)#52
1930s56,001#18 (1939)#40
1940s336,568#5 (1949)#10
1950s837,471#1 (1957)#2
1960s833,092#1 (1961)#1
1970s707,327#1 (1970)#1
1980s663,807#1 (1981)#1
1990s462,466#1 (1990)#1
2000s250,715#2 (2000)#2
2010s145,220#3 (2010)#9
2020s52,631#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.

Michael in 2016

girls
#4,250
34 births · 1 in 52,118 girls
boys
#8
14,145 births · 1 in 134 boys

Top girls' names in 2016

  1. #1Emma19,550
  2. #2Olivia19,414
  3. #3Ava16,354
  4. #4Sophia16,185
  5. #5Isabella14,863
  6. #6Mia14,464
  7. #7Charlotte13,118
  8. #8Abigail11,796
  9. #9Emily11,006
  10. #10Amelia10,809
  11. #4,250Michael34

Top boys' names in 2016

  1. #1Noah19,188
  2. #2Liam18,277
  3. #3William15,810
  4. #4Mason15,287
  5. #5James14,920
  6. #6Benjamin14,686
  7. #7Jacob14,559
  8. #8Michael14,145
  9. #9Elijah13,982
  10. #10Ethan13,855
More about 2016

girls

1,772,022 girls got a published name in 2016; 1 in 52,118 of them was named Michael, which outranked 77.5% of the 18,885 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Michael
  1. #4,157Zenaida35
  2. #4,157Ziah35
  3. #4,157Zophia35
  4. #4,250Michael34
  5. #4,250Aashna34
  6. #4,250Abree34
  7. #4,250Adhira34
  8. #4,345Acadia33
  9. #4,345Adelena33
  10. #4,345Adrina33

Tied with 94 names at #4,250; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 2015
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,389Kehlani#3,254 → #865
  2. ↑ 612Royalty#1,146 → #534
  3. ↑ 481Saoirse#1,448 → #967
  4. ↑ 396Ophelia#978 → #582
  5. ↑ 364Aitana#915 → #551
Fallers
  1. ↓ 542Caitlin#610 → #1,152
  2. ↓ 451Caitlyn#598 → #1,049
  3. ↓ 397Katelynn#652 → #1,049
  4. ↓ 382Kaitlynn#989 → #1,371
  5. ↓ 340Neriah#946 → #1,286

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,897,738 boys got a published name in 2016; 1 in 134 of them was named Michael, which outranked 99.9% of the 14,207 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Michael
  1. #5James14,920
  2. #6Benjamin14,686
  3. #7Jacob14,559
  4. #8Michael14,145
  5. #9Elijah13,982
  6. #10Ethan13,855
  7. #11Alexander13,446
Biggest movers since 2015
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,327Kylo#3,231 → #904
  2. ↑ 355Creed#1,340 → #985
  3. ↑ 349Benicio#1,327 → #978
  4. ↑ 303Adonis#698 → #395
  5. ↑ 291Fox#1,035 → #744
Fallers
  1. ↓ 477Jonael#922 → #1,399
  2. ↓ 238Aaden#784 → #1,022
  3. ↓ 233Triston#950 → #1,183
  4. ↓ 223Freddy#993 → #1,216
  5. ↓ 207Chace#934 → #1,141

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 2016 →