Makhel
Of Hebrew origin, meaning "who is like God."
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Makhel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Makhel today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Makhel births was 2011 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Makhel. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Makhel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2011
5 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2012 SSA rank
#13,480
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Makhel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Makhel by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Makhel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Makhel
The given name Makhel is believed to have originated from the Hebrew language and culture, with its roots traced back to ancient times. This name is derived from the Hebrew word "mikhel," which means "brook" or "stream," signifying a gentle and calming presence.
In ancient Jewish texts and scriptures, there are references to the name Makhel, though its exact origins remain shrouded in mystery. One prominent figure bearing this name was Makhel ben Shabtai, a renowned Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in the 11th century in Spain. He was known for his contributions to the study of the Talmud and Jewish mysticism.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Makhel can be traced back to the Middle Ages, where it was primarily used among Jewish communities in Europe and the Middle East. One notable figure from this era was Makhel ben Eleazar, a 13th-century rabbi and theologian from Germany, who was highly respected for his wisdom and insights into Jewish law.
During the Renaissance period, the name Makhel gained some popularity among certain Jewish communities in Italy. One prominent individual bearing this name was Makhel Sofer, a 16th-century Italian rabbi and author, known for his work on Jewish ethics and commentaries on the Torah.
In the 18th century, Makhel ben Yosef emerged as a prominent figure in the Hasidic Jewish movement in Eastern Europe. He was a renowned Hasidic rebbe (leader) and kabbalist, renowned for his teachings on spirituality and mysticism.
Another notable individual with the name Makhel was Makhel Alshekh, a prominent 16th-century rabbi and biblical commentator from Safed, Palestine. His works on the Torah and its commentaries were widely studied and revered among Jewish scholars of his time.
While the name Makhel has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture, it has been adopted and used across various Jewish communities throughout history, with each individual contributing to the rich tapestry of Jewish tradition and scholarship.
People
Makhel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Makhel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Makhel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Makhel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Makhel going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Makhel a common name?
We classify Makhel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Makhel most popular?
The single biggest year for Makhel was 2011, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Makhel is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Makhel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Makhel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Makhel in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Makhel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Makhel in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Makhel can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Makhel as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.