Mikaila
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "like an angel".
Name Census estimates that about 2,334 living Americans carry the first name Mikaila. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mikaila today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mikaila births was 2001 (239 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mikaila. 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.
People living today
2.3K
~ 1 in 146,853 Americans
Peak year
2001
239 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2023 SSA rank
#8,339
Tracked since 1984
Popularity
Mikaila: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mikaila from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 1,060 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mikaila 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 Mikaila during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mikailas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 24 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Mikaila, while Oklahoma, New Jersey, North Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 41 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mikaila
The name Mikaila is a feminine given name with origins tracing back to the Hebrew language. It is a variation of the biblical name Michal, which means "who is like God?" or "rivulet." The name Mikaila emerged as a modern spelling variation, potentially influenced by other cultures and languages.
In the Old Testament, Michal was the younger daughter of King Saul and the first wife of David. She played a significant role in the biblical narrative, helping David escape from her father's wrath and eventually being reunited with him after his ascension to the throne. The name Mikaila carries this biblical connection.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Mikaila can be traced back to the late 20th century, when it began to gain popularity as a distinct variant of Michal. While not as widespread as some other biblical names, Mikaila has been used around the world, particularly in English-speaking countries.
One notable figure who bore the name Mikaila was Mikaila Ulmer, an American entrepreneur and social activist. Born in 2005, she gained recognition for her lemonade business and her efforts to promote the use of sustainable ingredients and environmentally friendly practices.
Another historical figure was Mikaila Enríquez, a Spanish noblewoman from the 16th century. She was the daughter of Enrique Enríquez, a prominent figure in the court of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile.
In the realm of literature, Mikaila Farrell was the name of a character in the novel "The Constant Princess" by Philippa Gregory, which explored the life of Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England.
Mikaila Stiver was an American artist and illustrator active in the early 20th century. She is known for her contributions to children's literature, illustrating several books published during the 1920s and 1930s.
Additionally, Mikaila Hutchens was a New Zealand actress who appeared in various television shows and films in the 1990s and early 2000s, including the popular series "Xena: Warrior Princess."
While the name Mikaila may not be among the most common given names, it has a rich history rooted in biblical and cultural references, as well as notable individuals who have carried this name throughout different eras and regions.
People
Mikaila + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mikaila 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
Mikaila: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mikaila?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,334 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mikaila 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 146,853 US residents.
Is Mikaila a common name?
We classify Mikaila as "Rare". It ranks above 94.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,384 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mikaila most popular?
The single biggest year for Mikaila was 2001, when 239 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mikaila is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mikaila a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mikaila in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.