Michal
Michal was, according to the first Book of Samuel, a princess of the United Kingdom of Israel; the younger daughter of King Saul, she was the first wife of David, who later became king, first of Judah, then of all Israel, making her queen consort of Israel.
Meaning & Origin of Michal
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Michal was, according to the first Book of Samuel, a princess of the United Kingdom of Israel; the younger daughter of King Saul, she was the first wife of David, who later became king, first of Judah, then of all Israel, making her queen consort of Israel.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Michal
As a girl name
Michal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1938, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1985, when 90 Michals were born — ranking #1,410 that year. As of 2026, Michal ranks #3,467 for girls with 45 births, rising sharply (+17% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Michals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Michal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1911, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1961, when 71 Michals were born — ranking #908 that year. As of 2026, Michal ranks #7,923 for boys with 5 births, falling sharply (-41%). In total, more than 4K Michals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Michal
Phonetically similar names — useful when Michal is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Michal
What does the name Michal mean?
How popular is Michal in 2026?
When was Michal most popular?
In which U.S. states is Michal most popular?
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About the name Michal
Michal is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1938 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Michal's peak popularity came in 1985 when it ranked #853. Use the chart and map above to compare Michal's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1985 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.