Meaning: Its source is a Hebrew expression meaning "Who resembles God."

Languages: This boy's name is used in Basque.

Alternative Spellings: Mikell

Popularity: The name Mikel ranked 988th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 1006th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Narrative: In the Jewish and Christian scriptures and other religious writings, the archangel Michael is identified as captain of God's army, humanity's intercessor with the divine, and an eternal recorder who tracks our deeds and misdeeds in a great heavenly book. He is often depicted carrying a flaming sword, and sometimes guarding the gates of Paradise.

The consistently high popularity of this name in the U.S. cannot be attributed with certainty to any one factor. It may be due simply to the pleasant sound of the name. It is also possible that no one has ever devised a more congenial nickname for a boy than Mike!