(male) English form of a common biblical name (meaning ‘who is like God?’ in Hebrew) borne by one of the archangels, the protector of the ancient Hebrews, who is also regarded as a saint of the Catholic Church. In the Middle Ages, Michael was regarded as captain of the heavenly host (see Revelation 12:7–9), symbol of the Church Militant, and patron of soldiers. He was often depicted bearing a flaming sword. The name is also borne by a Persian prince and ally of Belshazzar mentioned in the Book of Daniel. Since the early 1900s it has been one of the most enduringly popular boys' names in the English-speaking world. See also Michal.
Cognates: Irish: Mícheál. Scottish Gaelic: Mìcheal. Welsh: Meical, Mihangel. German: Michael. Dutch: Michaël, Machiel. Scandinavian: Mikael. Danish, Norwegian: Mikkel. French: Michel. Spanish, Portuguese: Miguel. Catalan: Miquel. Italian: Michele. Russian: Mikhail. Polish: Michał. Czech: Michal. Croatian: Mihovil. Serbian: Mihajlo. Slovenian: Mihael. Finnish: Mikko. Hungarian: Mihály.
Short forms: Mike, Mick.
Pet forms: Mick(e)y, Mikey.
English and French: metonymic occupational name for a preparer and seller of cured pork, from Middle English, Old French bacun, bacon ‘bacon’ (a word of Germanic origin, akin to Back 1).
English and French: from the Germanic personal name Bac(c)o, Bahho, from the root bag- ‘to fight’. The name was relatively common among the Normans in the form Bacus, of which the oblique case was Bacon.
FOREBEARS An immigrant from Normandy, France, called Bacon or Bascon was documented in Quebec city in 1647.A Michael Bacon from England arrived in Dedham, MA, in 1640. Nathaniel Bacon (1647–76) from Friston Hall, Suffolk, emigrated to VA and settled at Curl's Neck on the James river. Another Nathanial Bacon, from Stratton, Cornwall, arrived at Barnstaple, MA, in 1639.
