Meaning not yet researched.
Michael: US boys given the name each year, 1880 to 2025, from Social Security card applications. 8,094 in 2025. Its best rank was #1 in 1998.
US births per year · SSA card applications
Peaked at #1 in 1998; #21 in 2025. About 99.8% of babies named Michael in 2025 were boys.
Baby name · US data 1880–2025
#21 for US boys in 2025. Its best year was 1998, at #1.
Hover, tap or use the arrow keys for any year. Years with fewer than five babies of a sex are not published by SSA and show as zero.
Michael: US boys given the name each year from 1880 to 2025. 8,094 boys in 2025. Peak: #1 in 1998 · most boys in one year: 92,781 (1957).
In 2025, 8,094 US boys were named Michael, making it the 21st most common boys’ name of the year, down 3 places from #18 in 2024. That is 135 fewer than the 8,229 boys named Michael in 2024. Its best rank for boys was #1, reached in 1998. The most boys given the name in a single year was 92,781, in 1957. For comparison, it was #9 in 2015 and #4 in 1950.
Social Security card records list Michael in every one of the 146 years from 1880 to 2025; in 1880 there were 354 babies with the name. In all, 4,448,633 US babies have been given the name, 0.5% of them girls and 99.5% boys. Its busiest decade was the 1950s, with 839,784 babies named Michael.
Over the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, 101,877 US boys were named Michael; the busiest of those years was 2016, with 14,145. In 2025 that was about 1 in 211 of the boys in SSA’s list for the year.
Among the states, Michael ranked highest in New Jersey in 2025, at #7 for boys there. It was in the top 100 in 51 states (counting DC). Related spellings in the SSA files include Michele (226,063 babies since 1880), Mike (206,523 babies since 1880), Miguel (191,562 babies since 1880) and Michel (14,094 babies since 1880). Rarer spellings such as Mick, Mickael and Michaelle are summarised on this page. The open nickname list we use links it to Micah, Mick, Mickey, Micky, Mike and Mikey.
Meaning not yet researched.
We publish a meaning only with a cited source and a confidence label, and never generate one. Meanings are being researched for the most common names first.
Rare spellings summarised here: Mick (2,445), Mickael (1,503), Michaelle (1,388), Mikail (1,243), Michial (1,123), Michiel (1,045), Mikkel (906), Mikko (879), Michail (589), Michaell (418), Maikel (311), Mechel (301), and more.
Numbers are all-time US births. Links come from Wikidata’s “said to be the same as” (P460, CC0) and our spelling rule: at most two letters different, with the same sound pattern.
US boys. Rank within each state. SSA leaves out states where fewer than five boys got the name, so every state is listed.
| State | Births 2025 | Rank 2025 | Rank 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 343 | #7 | #2 |
| Pennsylvania | 385 | #10 | #5 |
| Maryland | 151 | #12 | #8 |
| New York | 604 | #13 | #5 |
| Mississippi | 75 | #13 | #10 |
| Illinois | 329 | #15 | #5 |
| Connecticut | 105 | #15 | #7 |
| Nevada | 77 | #16 | #6 |
| South Carolina | 134 | #17 | #7 |
| Alaska | 24 | #17 | #10 |
| Ohio | 324 | #17 | #13 |
| New Mexico | 47 | #18 | #4 |
| Rhode Island | 31 | #18 | #6 |
| Wyoming | 14 | #19 | #47 |
| Michigan | 227 | #19 | #12 |
| Florida | 529 | #20 | #8 |
| Virginia | 215 | #21 | #8 |
| Delaware | 26 | #21 | #5 |
| Louisiana | 101 | #22 | #12 |
| Massachusetts | 188 | #22 | #9 |
| North Carolina | 275 | #24 | #16 |
| Alabama | 116 | #24 | #9 |
| Missouri | 155 | #25 | #15 |
| Arizona | 169 | #26 | #4 |
| California | 875 | #26 | #13 |
| Kansas | 79 | #28 | #28 |
| Tennessee | 188 | #28 | #14 |
| Kentucky | 115 | #30 | #23 |
| Nebraska | 49 | #32 | #23 |
| Texas | 782 | #33 | #14 |
| Georgia | 217 | #34 | #10 |
| Idaho | 49 | #34 | #32 |
| Arkansas | 63 | #34 | #22 |
| Hawaii | 19 | #35 | #17 |
| Washington | 144 | #38 | #18 |
| South Dakota | 23 | #38 | #38 |
| Oklahoma | 79 | #40 | #16 |
| Maine | 27 | #40 | #26 |
| New Hampshire | 29 | #42 | #27 |
| Iowa | 63 | #43 | #25 |
| Colorado | 116 | #44 | #18 |
| District of Columbia | 16 | #45 | #7 |
| Indiana | 129 | #49 | #16 |
| Oregon | 64 | #49 | #26 |
| Montana | 21 | #50 | #14 |
| Wisconsin | 94 | #51 | #27 |
| North Dakota | 18 | #58 | #34 |
| Minnesota | 90 | #61 | #30 |
| Utah | 68 | #66 | #30 |
| West Virginia | 27 | #67 | #28 |
| Vermont | 6 | #95 | #28 |
Births and national rank for each year SSA lists the name, newest first.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | #8,188 | 8,094 | #21 |
| 2024 | 16 | #7,149 | 8,229 | #18 |
| 2023 | 20 | #6,099 | 8,430 | #16 |
| 2022 | 19 | #6,389 | 8,895 | #16 |
| 2021 | 27 | #4,920 | 9,150 | #17 |
| 2020 | 24 | #5,272 | 9,833 | #12 |
| 2019 | 33 | #4,315 | 10,619 | #14 |
| 2018 | 20 | #6,170 | 11,756 | #14 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4,284 | 12,726 | #12 |
| 2016 | 34 | #4,323 | 14,145 | #8 |
| 2015 | 36 | #4,120 | 14,504 | #9 |
| 2014 | 35 | #4,235 | 15,505 | #7 |
| 2013 | 39 | #3,893 | 15,544 | #7 |
| 2012 | 27 | #5,203 | 16,211 | #7 |
| 2011 | 36 | #4,129 | 16,823 | #6 |
| 2010 | 37 | #4,084 | 17,387 | #3 |
| 2009 | 45 | #3,601 | 18,964 | #3 |
| 2008 | 55 | #3,110 | 20,652 | #2 |
| 2007 | 52 | #3,277 | 22,027 | #2 |
| 2006 | 64 | #2,770 | 22,653 | #2 |
| 2005 | 61 | #2,748 | 23,828 | #2 |
| 2004 | 148 | #1,409 | 25,470 | #2 |
| 2003 | 94 | #1,944 | 27,129 | #2 |
| 2002 | 95 | #1,884 | 28,258 | #2 |
| 2001 | 96 | #1,846 | 29,689 | #2 |
| 2000 | 114 | #1,568 | 32,045 | #2 |
| 1999 | 123 | #1,428 | 33,915 | #2 |
| 1998 | 128 | #1,360 | 36,618 | #1 |
| 1997 | 142 | #1,257 | 37,562 | #1 |
| 1996 | 157 | #1,162 | 38,373 | #1 |
| 1995 | 167 | #1,073 | 41,409 | #1 |
| 1994 | 192 | #970 | 44,477 | #1 |
| 1993 | 223 | #871 | 49,571 | #1 |
| 1992 | 258 | #789 | 54,410 | #1 |
| 1991 | 267 | #772 | 60,810 | #1 |
| 1990 | 277 | #751 | 65,321 | #1 |
| 1989 | 363 | #595 | 65,415 | #1 |
| 1988 | 480 | #474 | 64,171 | #1 |
| 1987 | 544 | #411 | 63,664 | #1 |
| 1986 | 590 | #392 | 64,235 | #1 |
| 1985 | 531 | #419 | 64,934 | #1 |
| 1984 | 508 | #421 | 67,735 | #1 |
| 1983 | 577 | #385 | 68,004 | #1 |
| 1982 | 576 | #403 | 68,216 | #1 |
| 1981 | 487 | #441 | 68,750 | #1 |
| 1980 | 546 | #409 | 68,683 | #1 |
| 1979 | 554 | #393 | 67,713 | #1 |
| 1978 | 545 | #384 | 67,127 | #1 |
| 1977 | 560 | #378 | 67,587 | #1 |
| 1976 | 515 | #398 | 66,915 | #1 |
| 1975 | 557 | #373 | 68,418 | #1 |
| 1974 | 525 | #392 | 67,534 | #1 |
| 1973 | 451 | #431 | 67,797 | #1 |
| 1972 | 452 | #431 | 71,393 | #1 |
| 1971 | 459 | #448 | 77,577 | #1 |
| 1970 | 457 | #461 | 85,266 | #1 |
| 1969 | 459 | #449 | 85,162 | #1 |
| 1968 | 471 | #440 | 81,968 | #1 |
| 1967 | 373 | #496 | 82,411 | #1 |
| 1966 | 346 | #509 | 79,985 | #1 |
| 1965 | 355 | #504 | 80,992 | #1 |
| 1964 | 303 | #566 | 82,617 | #1 |
| 1963 | 376 | #501 | 83,771 | #1 |
| 1962 | 356 | #519 | 85,059 | #1 |
| 1961 | 324 | #546 | 86,974 | #1 |
| 1960 | 316 | #548 | 84,153 | #2 |
| 1959 | 285 | #588 | 85,294 | #1 |
| 1958 | 295 | #574 | 90,604 | #1 |
| 1957 | 255 | #614 | 92,781 | #1 |
| 1956 | 238 | #622 | 90,691 | #1 |
| 1955 | 250 | #579 | 88,355 | #1 |
| 1954 | 217 | #618 | 88,568 | #1 |
| 1953 | 232 | #581 | 84,198 | #3 |
| 1952 | 190 | #647 | 79,037 | #4 |
| 1951 | 172 | #669 | 72,807 | #4 |
| 1950 | 179 | #642 | 65,136 | #4 |
| 1949 | 188 | #602 | 60,047 | #5 |
| 1948 | 170 | #637 | 52,566 | #6 |
| 1947 | 173 | #635 | 50,506 | #7 |
| 1946 | 169 | #611 | 41,194 | #7 |
| 1945 | 158 | #583 | 29,902 | #9 |
| 1944 | 168 | #563 | 26,717 | #9 |
| 1943 | 188 | #553 | 24,745 | #10 |
| 1942 | 156 | #594 | 21,728 | #13 |
| 1941 | 97 | #717 | 15,935 | #16 |
| 1940 | 80 | #793 | 13,228 | #18 |
| 1939 | 81 | #764 | 10,828 | #18 |
| 1938 | 58 | #941 | 9,077 | #21 |
| 1937 | 47 | #1,041 | 7,094 | #27 |
| 1936 | 40 | #1,129 | 5,800 | #33 |
| 1935 | 32 | #1,296 | 4,906 | #41 |
| 1934 | 20 | #1,752 | 4,108 | #47 |
| 1933 | 26 | #1,461 | 3,549 | #53 |
| 1932 | 20 | #1,797 | 3,607 | #54 |
| 1931 | 24 | #1,582 | 3,489 | #55 |
| 1930 | 36 | #1,267 | 3,543 | #54 |
| 1929 | 33 | #1,327 | 3,464 | #54 |
| 1928 | 33 | #1,360 | 3,598 | #53 |
| 1927 | 29 | #1,546 | 3,605 | #52 |
| 1926 | 32 | #1,435 | 3,485 | #56 |
| 1925 | 34 | #1,400 | 3,761 | #55 |
| 1924 | 36 | #1,377 | 3,874 | #54 |
| 1923 | 29 | #1,548 | 3,915 | #50 |
| 1922 | 31 | #1,495 | 3,990 | #48 |
| 1921 | 24 | #1,806 | 4,198 | #47 |
| 1920 | 22 | #1,868 | 4,003 | #50 |
| 1919 | 24 | #1,683 | 3,909 | #46 |
| 1918 | 30 | #1,439 | 4,296 | #45 |
| 1917 | 12 | #2,656 | 4,288 | #44 |
| 1916 | 18 | #1,929 | 4,210 | #44 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,214 | 4,079 | #43 |
| 1914 | 16 | #1,710 | 3,362 | #40 |
| 1913 | 12 | #1,852 | 2,607 | #40 |
| 1912 | 8 | #2,290 | 2,104 | #42 |
| 1911 | 7 | #2,116 | 1,159 | #38 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,721 | 844 | #45 |
| 1909 | 7 | #1,900 | 635 | #47 |
| 1908 | — | — | 688 | #44 |
| 1907 | — | — | 586 | #48 |
| 1906 | 5 | #2,135 | 531 | #46 |
| 1905 | — | — | 513 | #45 |
| 1904 | — | — | 462 | #50 |
| 1903 | — | — | 466 | #47 |
| 1902 | — | — | 460 | #48 |
| 1901 | — | — | 384 | #52 |
| 1900 | — | — | 495 | #51 |
| 1899 | — | — | 375 | #51 |
| 1898 | — | — | 434 | #52 |
| 1897 | 7 | #1,346 | 368 | #57 |
| 1896 | — | — | 399 | #53 |
| 1895 | — | — | 413 | #52 |
| 1894 | — | — | 423 | #51 |
| 1893 | — | — | 407 | #49 |
| 1892 | — | — | 380 | #59 |
| 1891 | — | — | 333 | #55 |
| 1890 | — | — | 394 | #48 |
| 1889 | — | — | 377 | #51 |
| 1888 | — | — | 466 | #46 |
| 1887 | — | — | 344 | #48 |
| 1886 | — | — | 348 | #53 |
| 1885 | — | — | 370 | #47 |
| 1884 | — | — | 373 | #51 |
| 1883 | — | — | 307 | #55 |
| 1882 | — | — | 321 | #57 |
| 1881 | — | — | 298 | #54 |
| 1880 | — | — | 354 | #46 |
About the data: counts are Social Security card applications for US births, for names given to at least five babies of a sex in a year (SSA, names.zip, public domain). Ranks follow SSA’s own order: most births first, ties alphabetical. Files retrieved 2026-10-05 (checksum on our sources page).