Mikel
Mikel is the Basque adaptation of the given name Michael. The name Mikel has its roots in the Hebrew word Mikha'el, which means "Who is like God". It is also used mainly by Albanians, as well as other Europeans.
- Basque
Meaning & Origin of Mikel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Mikel is the Basque adaptation of the given name Michael. The name Mikel has its roots in the Hebrew word Mikha'el, which means "Who is like God". It is also used mainly by Albanians, as well as other Europeans.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Basque
The Story of Mikel
As a girl name
Mikel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1936, with 8 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1982: 44 births, good for #2,250 nationwide. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 22% of all recorded Mikels. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2018 (8 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 995 Mikels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Mikel on the record books as a boy name in 1882, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2004, when 201 Mikels were born — ranking #871 that year. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,810 among boy names with 91 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 12K Mikels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Mikel
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Mikel. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Mitxel
Names that sound like Mikel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Mikel 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 Mikel
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Is Mikel a unisex name?
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About the name Mikel
Mikel is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 12K births in the dataset. Mikel's peak popularity came in 2004 when it ranked #510. Use the chart and map above to compare Mikel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2004 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all boy 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.