SmithMichl-Michael

Michael

[mahy-kuhl]

Michael is a given name that comes from the מִיכָאֵל / מיכאל (mee-KHA-el), meaning "Who is like God?" In English, it is sometimes shortened to Mike, Mikey, or, especially in Ireland, Mick. Michael is one of the 7 Archangels and protector of Yahweh.

Female forms of Michael include Michelle, Michaela, Mechelle, Micheline, and Michaelle, although there are women with the name Michael, such as Michael Learned and Princess Michael of Kent. Another form is Mychal, which can either be a male or female name. Surnames that come from Michael include Carmichael, Dimichele, MacMichael, McMichael, Micallef, Michaelson, Mikhaylov and Mitchell.

Origins

The name first appears in the Bible, Numbers , where Sethur the son of Michael is one of twelve spies sent into the Land of Canaan. The Archangel Michael, referred to later in the Bible (Daniel ), is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. 29 September is the feast day of the three archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

Popularity

Michael is a popular name in the United States, and has been the first or second most popular name given to male babies in the U.S. for each year since 1954. It is in the top 50 most popular boys' names in England and Wales. The name has been popular in Orthodox Christian countries, and was borne by several rulers of the Byzantine and Russian Empires. In recent years, Michael has been the most popular name in the Philippines, the second most popular name in Finland (Mikael) and ranks among the top ten names in Denmark (Mikkel) and Ireland. It is the 23rd most popular name in Canada, and the 37th most popular in Mexico (Miguel).

Short form and other versions

"Mike", "Mick", "Mikiel", "Mikey", "Mikael", "Mic", "Mischka" (common in Russia) and "Mickey" are short forms of, or nick-names for, Michael as a given name. "Mick" is commonly associated with Irish people.

Meik and Maik are German short forms of Michael. The German pronunciation of both variants is identical to the English pronunciation of "Mike", since both are directly derived from their English counterparts. Similarly, the Welsh versions "Meical" and "Meic" are pronounced in the same way as their corresponding English analogues. Michiel (mee-KHEEL) is Dutch and the Dutch given name "Chiel" is a variation of Michiel. Mikael, Mikell, Mikkel are Scandinavian. In Swedish, "Micke" is a nick-name for "Mikael" (also spelt "Michael").

In Greek "Μιχάλης" ("Michalis" or "Mihalis") is an everyday common form of the "Μιχαήλ" ("Michail" or "Mihail"). The Russian, "Миша" ("Mischa" or "Misha") are shortened forms of "Михаил" (Mikhail). "Мишка" (Mishka) is a common diminutive form, "Миха" (Mikha) is an informal shortened form, and "Михайлович" (Mikhaylovich) is a patronymic form that can be shortened to more informal "Михалыч" (Mikhalych). Michal is Czech. Michał is Polish; Miko is Slavic. Mëhill or Mhill is the Albanian for Michael. The first belongs to the southern (Tosk) dialect, the second to the northern (Gheg) dialect. In Hebrew, "מיכה" (Mikha) is a common shortened form of "מיכאל" (Michael, pronounced Mikha'el).

Miguel is a Spanish and Portuguese form; Michel is French and popular in the Netherlands.

Variations by language

There are various forms of the name:

ميخائيل / ميكال‎
Միքայել (Mikayel)
Михаил (Mihail)
Miquel
Mihael
Czech: Michal
Mikkel
Michiel
Mihkel
Michel
Gaelic: Michiel
Septuagint Μιχαήλ (Mikhaēl)
'מיכאל''' (Mikha'el)
Mihály
Mícheál
Michele
Latin: Michael
Михаил (Mihail)
Michał
Miguel
Mihai
Михаил (Mikha'il)
Михајло (Mihajlo)
Michal
Miguel
Swedish: Mikael
Mikail
(Mykháylo)
Mihangel

Rulers named "Michael"

Byzantine emperors

Michael I (811–813)
Michael II (820–829)
Michael III (842–867)
Michael IV the Paphlagonian (1034–1041)
Michael V (1041–1042)
Michael VI (1056–1057)
Michael VII (1067–1078)
Michael VIII Palaeologus (1259–1282)
Michael IX Palaiologos (1277–1320)

Russian rulers

Mikhail of Vladimir (1174–1176)
Mikhail Yaroslavich (1304–1318)
Michael I (1613–1645)
Michael II (1917)

King of Poland

Michael of Poland (Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki)

King & Princes of Portugal

Miguel of Portugal (Michael I) King of Portugal (1828–1834). During exile he used the title of Duke of Braganza
Miguel II%2C Duke of Braganza (Michael II), legitimist pretender to the throne of Portugal. As his father (Michael I) he also used the title of Duke of Braganza
Miguel da Paz (Michael of Peace) older son of King Manuel I of Portugal and heir of all the Iberian Kingdoms (Portugal, Castille and Aragon)
Miguel de Bragan%C3%A7a, illegitimate son of King Pedro II of Portugal, he was the ancestor of the House of Lafões
Infante Miguel, Duke of Viseu (born in 1948), fith in line to the Portuguese throne

Rulers of Romania

Michael the Brave (Romanian: Mihai Viteazul, Hungarian: Vitéz Mihály); Prince of Wallachia (1593–1601), of Transylvania (1599–1600), and of Moldavia (1600)
Michael I of Romania (Romanian: Mihai I de România)