Miguel
Miguel was the 212th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,661 babies. Its best year was 2000, when it ranked 86th; the most babies were born in 2007 (4,906). Over the last ten years it has moved down 51 places. More babies were named Miguel in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning who is like God? (Spanish form of Michael) · Spanish, Hebrew
Say it mee-GEL /miˈɡɛl/
- Rank in 2025
- #212 boys, down 23 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,661boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20074,906 babies
- Total since 1880
- 191,562babies recorded
What does the name Miguel mean?
Miguel is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Michael. Michael is a Hebrew name that DMNES glosses 'who is like God?', a question that implies no one is; it is the name of one of the archangels. Wiktionary calls Miguel a doublet of Michael, Michel and Mikhail. Micaela is the feminine form, and Miguelito is a pet form. In Spanish the u is silent, so the name is said mee-GEL.
מִיכָאֵל (Biblical Hebrew, “Mikha'el, who is like God?”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Michael, Michel, Mikhail, Miguelito, Micaela.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Miguel', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Michael', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wikipedia, 'Miguel', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Miguel
The usual nicknames for Miguel are Miggy.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miggy | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Miguels go by each one.
Miguel popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 996 since 1927.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #212 | 1,661 |
| 2020 | #189 | 2,053 |
| 2010 | #113 | 3,457 |
| 2000 | #86 | 4,673 |
| 1990 | #101 | 3,696 |
| 1980 | #128 | 2,177 |
| 1970 | #197 | 1,344 |
| 1960 | #279 | 818 |
| 1950 | #324 | 443 |
| 1940 | #446 | 170 |
| 1930 | #383 | 221 |
| 1920 | #547 | 127 |
| 1910 | #497 | 32 |
| 1900 | #617 | 17 |
| 1890 | #717 | 9 |
| 1880 | #551 | 12 |
How popular is Miguel, counting every spelling?
Miguel has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #231 for boys in 2025, against #212 on the official list, because Kayson/Kaison/Kaysen and Cohen/Kohen/Kohyn and Eric/Erick/Erik move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Miguel?
1,661 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Miguel (0.46 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Miguel born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 5 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Miguel.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Miguel?
About 175,200 people born in the US named Miguel are alive today, with a median age of 27; half are between 18 and 40. That makes Miguel mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Miguel by state
How common Miguel was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (3.1×), Texas (2.1×), Arizona (2.0×), California (2.0×), Massachusetts (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Miguel: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Miguel, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Miguel · Sibling names for Miguel
Questions about the name Miguel
What does Miguel mean?
Miguel means “who is like God? (Spanish form of Michael)” (Spanish, Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Miguel?
Miguel was the 212th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,661 babies. Its best year was 2000, when it ranked 86th; the most babies were born in 2007 (4,906). Over the last ten years it has moved down 51 places. More babies were named Miguel in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Miguel a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Miguel in the US.
Where is Miguel most popular?
In 2021–2025, Miguel was most common in New Mexico (3.37 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and Arizona.