Given name & surname
Mikael
“who is like God?”
In Norwegian use, Mikael is a variant of Michael. One Hebrew interpretation is “who is like God?.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Norwegian use, Mikael is a variant of Michael. One Hebrew interpretation is “who is like God?.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Norwegian use, Mikael is a variant of Michael. An origin associated with Michael is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Scandinavian use, Mikael is used as a form of Michael.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1944. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Mikael through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6,239
- 5,939 boys · 300 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 228 babies
- 2025
- 176
- #1,175 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +1%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 99% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 176 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,175 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 1.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (29). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,993 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Mikael’s family of names
In Finnish usage, Mikael has a nickname in Mike. Mikael shares a linguistic root with Michael. In Swedish usage, Mikael has a conventional equivalent in the Spanish form Miguel.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Mikael has relatives in 19 languages.
19 related names in 19 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Michaelvariant · Swedish, Norwegian
- Mikashort form · Finnish, German
- Mikenickname · Finnish
- Mikalvariant · Norwegian
- Mikkelvariant · Norwegian, Swedish
- Mikinickname · Finnish
- Mikkidiminutive · Icelandic
- Miikadiminutive · Finnish
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 38
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- MiguelSpanish
- Mikaelafeminine form · Swedish, Finnish
- Mikhailequivalent
- Mikoequivalent
- Mikkoequivalent
- Michalequivalent
- Mikailequivalent
- MichelFrench
Show 30 moreShow fewer
- MicheleItalian
- Mykhailoequivalent
- Mitchelequivalent
- MicaelPortuguese
- Mihaiequivalent
- Mayconequivalent
- Michailequivalent
- Mykolasequivalent
- Miquelequivalent
- Michielequivalent
- Mihaelequivalent
- Mihangelequivalent
- Mikhaïlequivalent
- Mikkeliequivalent
- Mihkelequivalent
- Միքայելequivalent
- Михайлоequivalent
- Michaiłequivalent
- Міхаілequivalent
- Miikkaequivalent
- Michasequivalent
- Mikkeequivalent
- Mikaaliborrowing · Greenlandic
- Μιχαήλroot · Greek, Ancient Greek
- MichałPolish
- MichaëlFrench
- Mickaëlequivalent
- Mihályequivalent
- Михаилequivalent
- Mikaeloequivalent
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Mikael
- Mikael AgricolaFinnish clergyman and de facto founder of literary Finnish (ca 1510-1557)
- Mikael LustigSwedish association football playerborn 1986
- Mikael AntonssonSwedish footballerborn 1981
- Mikael ForssellFinnish footballerborn 1981
- Mikael PersbrandtSwedish actorborn 1963
- Mikael ÅkerfeldtSwedish musicianborn 1974
- Mikael IshakSwedish association football playerborn 1993
- Mikael HåfströmSwedish screenwriter and film directorborn 1960
- Mikael DorsinSwedish footballerborn 1981
Characters named Mikael: Mikael Blomkvist (fictional character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Mikael, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ismael
“God will listen”
>99% boys
Micah
“who is like (Yahweh)?”
93% boys · 7% girls
Raphael
“one who is healed by God”
>99% boys
Musa
“a savior”
>99% boys
Milo
“one who is merciful” · “a soldier”
99% boys · 1% girls
Myles
“one who is merciful” · “a soldier”
99% boys · 1% girls
Marcelo
“the little warrior”
>99% boys
Miles
“one who is merciful” · “a soldier”
>99% boys