Michelle
Girl name · #465 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Michelle? In official American birth records, Michelle has been tracked continuously since 1915, giving it 110 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 661 baby girls were named Michelle, placing it at #465 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #192, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,723 girls born in 2025 was named Michelle.
Babies named Michelle per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 110-year story
Michelle first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1969, when 34,319 girls were named Michelle — good for #2 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Michelle against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Michelle in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Michelle is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Michelle is most common
Geography matters for names, and Michelle is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Michelle is most common in NJ (0.9 per 1,000), IL (0.9 per 1,000), NY (0.7 per 1,000), CA (0.7 per 1,000), WA (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Michelle is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Michelle
Statistically, parents drawn to Michelle tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kimberly, Janelle, Melissa, Danielle, and Angela.
KimberlyJanelleMelissaDanielleAngelaJenniferJacquelineMarianne
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Michelle | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 661 | #465 |
| 2024 | 775 | #409 |
| 2023 | 766 | #401 |
| 2022 | 827 | #377 |
| 2021 | 799 | #394 |
| 2020 | 923 | #336 |
| 2019 | 1,144 | #292 |
| 2018 | 1,249 | #263 |
| 2017 | 1,429 | #215 |
| 2016 | 1,562 | #209 |
| 2015 | 1,706 | #192 |
| 2014 | 1,751 | #188 |
| 2013 | 1,892 | #168 |
| 2012 | 1,935 | #162 |
| 2011 | 2,180 | #144 |
| 2010 | 2,510 | #125 |
| 2009 | 3,078 | #104 |
| 2008 | 3,343 | #101 |
| 2007 | 3,596 | #94 |
| 2006 | 4,090 | #81 |
| 2005 | 4,312 | #74 |
| 2004 | 4,720 | #66 |
| 2003 | 4,873 | #62 |
| 2002 | 4,950 | #58 |
| 2001 | 5,033 | #59 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Michelle?
In official American birth records, the name Michelle first appeared in 1915 (over 110 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 110 years.
Is Michelle a popular girl name?
Michelle ranked #465 among girls in 2025 with 661 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #192.
When was the name Michelle most popular?
Michelle peaked in 1969, when 34,319 American girls received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 1969 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Michelle?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,723 newborn American girls was named Michelle. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.