Mikael
Boy name · #1171 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
In 2025, 176 baby boys were named Mikael, placing it at #1171 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1174, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,227 boys born in 2025 was named Mikael.
The 81-year story
Mikael first appears in the Social Security records in 1944, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 223 babies and a rank of #987. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Babies named Mikael per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mikael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mikael in class?
Mikael scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Mikael is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mikael is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Mikaels were CA (29), TX (24), NY (17), FL (13), GA (8). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Mikael
Statistically, parents drawn to Mikael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mikhael, Isael, Misael, Ishmael, and Natanael.
MikhaelIsaelMisaelIshmaelNatanaelMendelYisraelIzrael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mikael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 176 | #1169 |
| 2024 | 188 | #1129 |
| 2023 | 223 | #987 |
| 2022 | 191 | #1113 |
| 2021 | 205 | #1046 |
| 2020 | 186 | #1074 |
| 2019 | 208 | #1004 |
| 2018 | 164 | #1168 |
| 2017 | 193 | #1042 |
| 2016 | 215 | #958 |
| 2015 | 158 | #1174 |
| 2014 | 150 | #1218 |
| 2013 | 162 | #1119 |
| 2012 | 164 | #1120 |
| 2011 | 133 | #1285 |
| 2010 | 136 | #1278 |
| 2009 | 118 | #1425 |
| 2008 | 132 | #1319 |
| 2007 | 132 | #1306 |
| 2006 | 123 | #1330 |
| 2005 | 100 | #1460 |
| 2004 | 100 | #1414 |
| 2003 | 94 | #1410 |
| 2002 | 96 | #1372 |
| 2001 | 89 | #1400 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Mikael a popular boy name?
Mikael ranked #1171 among boys in 2025 with 176 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1174.
When was the name Mikael most popular?
Mikael peaked in 2023, when 223 American boys received the name (ranked #987 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Mikael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,227 newborn American boys was named Mikael. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.