Girl · #16,991 in 2026

Mikea

The Mikea are a group of Malagasy-speaking horticulturalists and foragers who are often described as the lowland hunter-gatherers of Madagascar. They inhabit the Mikea Forest, a patch of mixed spiny forest and dry deciduous forest along the coast of southwestern Madagascar.

Current Rank
#16,991
Peak Rank
#5,206 (1993)
Total Babies
224
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1982
First Year
2010
Last Year
1993
Peak Year
#5206
Peak Rank
224
Total Count
25
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Mikea

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The Mikea are a group of Malagasy-speaking horticulturalists and foragers who are often described as the lowland hunter-gatherers of Madagascar. They inhabit the Mikea Forest, a patch of mixed spiny forest and dry deciduous forest along the coast of southwestern Madagascar.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
The majority of the Mikea live in the Mikea Forest between Toliara and Morombe . The Mikea are not remnants of an early hunter-gatherer society. Although researchers remain uncertain when the Mikea first adopted a forest-dwelling, hunter-gatherer lifestyle, they have determined that the Mikea were only recently established as a community. The current Mikea population is believed to be descended largely from Masikoro villagers who fled into the forest to escape advancing Merina and Sakalava armies in the 18th and 19th centuries. Colonial French documents dating to 1901 describe hunter gatherers

The Story of Mikea

Mikea first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1982, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 18 Mikeas were born — ranking #5,206 that year. As of 2026, Mikea ranks #16,991 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 224 Mikeas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Mikea

Phonetically similar names — useful when Mikea 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 Mikea

What does the name Mikea mean?
The Mikea are a group of Malagasy-speaking horticulturalists and foragers who are often described as the lowland hunter-gatherers of Madagascar. They inhabit the Mikea Forest, a patch of mixed spiny forest and dry deciduous forest along the coast of southwestern Madagascar.
How popular is Mikea in 2026?
In 2026, Mikea ranks #16,991 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Mikea most popular?
Mikea reached its peak popularity in 1993, ranking #5,206 that year with 18 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Mikea most popular?
Mikea has historically been most popular in District of Columbia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Mikea.
Is Mikea a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Mikea is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Mikea?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Mikea include Mahaley, Haidee, Lanay. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Mikea

Mikea is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1982 and has accumulated 224 births in the dataset. Mikea's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #5,206. Use the chart and map above to compare Mikea's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.