Mikel

Mikel - A very unique male name

Mikel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1942 on position #1633. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Mikel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Mikel? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Mikel. The baby boy name Mikel was given to 37 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1934 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 39,629 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Mikel peaked in popularity 73 years ago in 1953 on position 539.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Mikel, 1-5?

Mikel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Mikel is currently topping the baby name charts in North Carolina at position #1,407 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,951.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Mikel is where you live.

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Mikel origin and meaning

Basque form of Michael (Hebrew)

The Basque form of Michael, from Hebrew Mikha'el, 'Who is like God?'

Mikel is how Michael is written in Basque, and it has a long independent life in the Basque Country. US use dates from 1942 — much of it in Basque and Spanish families — and peaked in 1957.

Attested etymology

Mikel is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Mikel, pop culture references for the name Mikel and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Mikel

We've found the following names that sound similar to Mikel, sorted by popularity.

Michael / Miguel / Micheal / Maxwell / Misael / Michel / Mikael / Mikhail / Michelle / Mykel /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Mikel

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Mikel a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Mikel?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

mee-KEL · /miˈkɛl/

Around the world

• Mikel (Basque) — Used as-is in Basque.
• Miguel (Spanish) — The Spanish form of the same name.
• Michael (English) — The English form.

Spellings and nicknames

• Michael — The English form.
• Mikael — A Scandinavian spelling of the same name.

Famous bearers

• Mikel Arteta — Spanish (Basque) football manager of Arsenal and former midfielder (b. 1982) Contemporary

Style

InternationalBiblical

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Mikel for Michael's meaning in a compact Basque form with sporting pedigree. US use is well below its 1950s peak.

Worth knowing

• Americans will usually read and write it as Michael or Mike.