The story behind Michel
English Michel Either a reborrowing of French Michel or a continuation (with pronunciation influenced by Modern French) of Middle English Michel, both from Old French Michel, from Latin Michāēl, borrowed from Koine Greek Μῐχᾱήλ (Mĭkhāḗl), from Biblical Hebrew מִיכָאֵל (mîḵāʾēl, literally “who is like God?”). Doublet of Michael, Miguel, and Mikhail.
Other language forms and explanations (2)
Dutch entry
Borrowed from French Michel. Doublet of Michaël.
Portuguese entry
Borrowed from French Michel, from Old French Michel, from Latin Michāēl. Doublet of Miguel, Maicol, Maicon, and Micael.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /mɪˈʃɛl/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Dutch: /miˈʃɛl/
- Portuguese; Brazil: /miˈʃɛw/
- Portuguese; Brazil: [miˈʃɛʊ̯]
- Portuguese; Portugal: /miˈʃɛl/
- Portuguese; Portugal: [miˈʃɛɫ]
- Portuguese; Portugal; Southern: /miˈʃɛ.li/
Popularity
Michel ranked #10637 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Michel
Marcel
Borrowed from French Marcel, from Latin Marcellus, diminutive of Marcus. Doublet of Marcellus. a male given name from French, equivalent to English Marcel From Latin…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Avril
20th-century invention from French avril (“April”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Chanel
From French Chanel. As a given name, principally after Coco Chanel.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Chantal
Borrowed from French Chantal in the 1960s, from the surname of a French saint Jeanne de Chantal, actually a Baroness of Chantal, a place name in France from Old Occitan cantal…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Eemil
From Swedish Emil and German Emil, from French Émile, from Latin Aemilius.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Nikol
Borrowed from French Nicole.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Michel
Abelardo
Borrowed from French Abélard.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Adela
Latinate form of French Adèle, short form of Germanic compound names beginning with Proto-Germanic *aþalaz (“noble”). Compare Old English æþele, English athel. Borrowed from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Adelajda
Borrowed from French Adélaïde.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Michel
Abelardo
Borrowed from French Abélard.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Adela
Latinate form of French Adèle, short form of Germanic compound names beginning with Proto-Germanic *aþalaz (“noble”). Compare Old English æþele, English athel. Borrowed from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Adelajda
Borrowed from French Adélaïde.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length