(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: topographic name for someone who lived by or in a deep valley, from Middle English, Old French gorge ‘gorge’, ‘ravine’ (from Old French gorge ‘throat’). There are various places in England and France named with this word, and the surname may be a habitational name from any of these.
German: unexplained.
FOREBEARS A family by the name of Gorges originated in the village of Gorges near Périers in Normandy, France, where Ralph de Gorges was living in the late 11th century. A branch of the family was established in England when Thomas de Gorges lost his lands to the King of France. He became warden of Henry III's manor of Powerstock, Devon. Sir Ferdinando Gorges, an English proprietor, was granted the province of Maine in 1639, and his brother, Thomas Gorges, was governor of Maine in the 1640s.
