Michael (given name)
The given name Michael or Micha'el (מִיכָאֵל / מיכאל "who is like God?" or "likened unto God", see List of names referring to El; Arabic ميخائيل , Standard Hebrew Miḫaʾel, Latin Michael, Michaèl or Míchaël, Tiberian Hebrew Mîḵāʾēl; Septuagint Greek Μιχαηλ, Mikhaēl. Portuguese or Spanish Miguel) For translations of the name Michael into other languages, see the Michael entry in Wiktionary.
Michael in Hebrew and Aramaic means: who is like God?, Michael->"Mi[n] Cha el"
Michael is a popular male name in nearly all European countries, as well as many former colonies of European countries, particularly the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many Caribbean and African countries, as well as Israel. Miguel is a popular name in most Latin American countries. The name has been particularly popular in Orthodox Christian countries, and was borne by several rulers of the Byzantine and Russian empires. In English it is sometimes shortened to Mike or Mick. In the United States, Michael has been one of the top three baby names for boys for the past 50 years.
The name first appears in the Bible, Numbers 13 verse 13, where Sethur the son of Michael is one of twelve spies sent into the Land of Canaan.
The Archangel Michael, referred to later in the Bible (Daniel 12 verse 1), is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. September 29 is the feast day of the three archangels, Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
The female form of Michael is Michelle or Michaela, though there are females with the name of Michael.
Surnames that come from Michael include Michaels, Michaelson, Mitchell, Micallef and Carmichael.
Short form and other versions
"Mike", "Mick", "Mikey", "Mic", and "Mickey" are short forms of, or nick-names for, Michael as a given name. The name is used extensively throughout Ireland.
Maicol is another spelling of " Michael". It is a name given in Brazil (where it is more usual to write it as Maicon), Italy and sometimes other Latin countries.[citation needed]
"Mick"
Many Irish surnames begin with "Mc" or "Mick", as in McDowell, or McShane, from which people from Ireland often get the nickname "Mick". (Mc usually means "son of". For instance the surname MacDonnell literally means son of Donnell.) Many Irish people are also named after the Irish leader Michael Collins, making Michael (Mick) a very common name.
It is sometimes used, usually with a lower-case "m", as an offensive slang term in British English and American English for an Irish person or a Roman Catholic. This is unrelated to the name Michael, however.
The term "mick" is also used as slang in the phrase taking the mickey or take the mick meaning to tease.
Notable European royal family members named Michael
- See also: List of people by name: Mic for more names.
- Michael I (811-813)
- Michael II (820-829)
- Michael III (842-867)
- Michael IV the Paphlagonian (1034-1041)
- Michael V (1041-1042)
- Michael VI (1056-1057)
- Michael VII (1067-1078)
- Michael VIII Palaeologus (1259-1282)
- Michael I (1613-1645)
- Michael II (1917)
- Miguel of Portugal (often translated as Michael of Portugal)
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