Michelle
What does Michelle mean and where does it come from?
Michelle is the French feminine form of the name Michel (from Hebrew מִיכָאֵל, 'Mikha'el'), which means 'Who is like God?' The name has been widely adopted across different cultures, particularly in English-speaking countries. It gained significant popularity in the late 20th century and has been us
How else can you spell Michelle?
Same sound, different look — useful if you want something slightly more distinctive
What middle names flow best with Michelle?
Michelle works best with short, strong middle names — one or two syllables keep the full name from becoming a mouthful
How popular is Michelle right now?
Declining — down 24 spots — currently #401 in the US out of 135.5k tracked names
The story of Michelle
Michelle entered American naming records in 1915 and has been in use for over 109 years. It peaked at #2 in 1968, placing it among the top 10 most popular names. Over 816K babies have been given this name — a true American classic. The name has grown more popular over time, rising from #4878 in 1915 to #401 in 2023. Michelle is used for both genders: 100% female and 0% male.
Names that peaked alongside Michelle in 1968:
Michelle by decade
Michelle peaked in the 1960s. See all 1960s names →
| Decade | Births | |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 17 | |
| 1920s | 99 | |
| 1930s | 293 | |
| 1940s | 5,713 | |
| 1950s | 46,899 | |
| 1960s | 209,008 | |
| 1970s ★ | 250,216 | |
| 1980s | 154,825 | |
| 1990s | 86,872 | |
| 2000s | 43,650 | |
| 2010s | 17,335 | |
| 2020s | 916 |
What are good nicknames for Michelle?
What names sound and feel like Michelle?
Based on sound, origin, and style — parents who love Michelle also consider these