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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Michelle — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Michella|Michiah
FrenchGirl→ Stable

Michelle

mih-SHEL · 3 syllables

Share Michelle:
Compare with another name
Girl
#409
→ Stable
#409
in the US · 2024
Popularity score: 39
Peak rank
#336 in 2020
5yr change
-8 ranks
Birth frequency
2.1 per 10,000 births
Sex split
8% boy · 92% girl

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #409 · Falling since 2020

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
French girl names
Michelle

Popularity score: 39  ·  SSA Rank: #409

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
69
Higher than 69% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
→ Stable
-8 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Unknown
— · — · —
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
85
1 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Michelle scores well on meaning depth but there are tradeoffs — the popularity trend is fading.

Meaning Depth37% of score
87
Name Trend28% of score
44
Uniqueness20% of score
85
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
French OriginHebrew RootClassicFeminineReligious3-syllableTimelessEstablished
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Michelles

versatileintelligenttalentedsophisticatedelegant
STRONG
High confidence

Michelle is a French girl name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #409 in the US in 2024.

Trend:→ Stable · -8 ranks
Feasibility:— · — · —
Popularity:#409 · niche
Michelle at a Glance
Meaning:Who is like God? A feminine form of Michael, derived from the Hebrew name meaning to ask the rhetorical question of divine comparison.
Language root:French · Hebrew
Peak rank:#336 in 2020
5yr change:-8 ranks
Sex usage:8% boy · 92% girl
Notable bearers
Michelle Obama
Former First Lady, author
Michelle Pfeiffer
Actress
Michelle Williams
Actress, singer
Similar Sound
DanielleGabrielleRachelleRochelleMonique
Similar Style
ElizabethVictoriaCatherineEleanorJuliette
Works well with
ChristopherDanielElizabethVictoriaAndrewNicole
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Hebrew · #17
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Eleanor
English · #14
→ Stable
Juliette
Latin · #129
↑ Rising
Charlotte
French · #4
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Michelle illustration
Name Intelligence
Michelle · Overview
Summary

Michelle is a French girl name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #409 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 38/100 ↓ Fading

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Michelle scores 69/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Classic · Romantic character
Michelle carries a warm, soft quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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