| Michael | David | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Who is like God? | Beloved |
| Origin | Hebrew | hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MY-kul | DAY-vid |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1957 (92,781) | 1955 (86,306) |
| In 2025 | 8,094 | 6,794 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Michael | David |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 52,631 | 45,615 |
| 2010s | 145,220 | 116,740 |
| 2000s | 250,715 | 180,098 |
| 1990s | 462,466 | 253,711 |
| 1980s | 663,807 | 383,687 |
| 1970s | 707,327 | 445,704 |
| 1960s | 833,092 | 733,953 |
| 1950s | 837,471 | 769,963 |
| 1940s | 336,568 | 426,372 |
| 1930s | 56,001 | 164,701 |
| 1920s | 37,893 | 88,736 |
| 1910s | 30,858 | 43,853 |
| 1900s | 5,220 | 8,619 |
| 1890s | 3,926 | 7,333 |
| 1880s | 3,558 | 7,569 |
Michael comes from the Hebrew rhetorical question mi-ka-el, “Who is like God?” Michael is named in scripture as an archangel, and the name has been a perennial favourite for boys across the Christian world.
From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawid), generally derived from the root dwd meaning 'beloved' (also linked to a word for 'uncle'). Borne by the great Old Testament king, it is one of the most securely attested 'beloved' names.
Michael is more popular than David today: about 8,094 US babies were given the name Michael in 2025, compared with 6,794 named David.
Michael means Who is like God? (Hebrew origin), while David means Beloved (hebrew origin).
In US records, Michael first appears in 1880 and David in 1880, so Michael has the longer recorded history.