Mishel
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God".
Name Census estimates that about 297 living Americans carry the first name Mishel. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mishel today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mishel births was 2008 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mishel. 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
297
~ 1 in 1,154,055 Americans
Peak year
2008
14 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,995
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Mishel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mishel from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 97 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Mishel remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mishel 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 Mishel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mishels live
Origin
Meaning and history of Mishel
The name Mishel is derived from the Hebrew name Michael, which means "who is like God?" or "one who is God-like." Its origins can be traced back to ancient Hebrew texts, particularly the Old Testament, where it refers to the Archangel Michael.
The name Michael is mentioned several times in the Bible, most notably in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation. In the Book of Daniel, Michael is described as one of the chief princes and the protector of the Israelites. In the Book of Revelation, Michael is portrayed as leading the heavenly armies against the forces of evil.
The name Mishel is a variant spelling that emerged in various cultures and languages over time. In some Slavic languages, such as Russian and Ukrainian, the name is spelled as Mishel or Mikhail. In other languages, like Spanish and French, it is spelled as Miguel.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mishel can be found in the writings of the 4th-century Christian scholar, St. Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin. He used the name Michael in his translation of the Old Testament.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Mishel or its variants. One of the most famous was Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022), the last leader of the Soviet Union, who played a pivotal role in ending the Cold War.
Another prominent figure was Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), the renowned Spanish writer and author of the literary masterpiece "Don Quixote." In the realm of science, the Russian chemist Mikhail Lomonosov (1711-1765) made significant contributions to the fields of physics, chemistry, and astronomy.
In the world of music, Michael Jackson (1958-2009), the "King of Pop," left an indelible mark with his legendary career and iconic songs. Similarly, the French composer Michel Legrand (1932-2019) was renowned for his film scores and jazz compositions.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the name Mishel or its variations throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence and significance across diverse cultures and eras.
People
Mishel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mishel 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
Mishel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mishel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 297 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mishel 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 1,154,055 US residents.
Is Mishel a common name?
We classify Mishel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 304 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mishel most popular?
The single biggest year for Mishel was 2008, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mishel is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mishel a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mishel 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.