(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.
French (Hébert) and Dutch: assimilated form of Herbert.
German: variant of Heber 1.
Dutch: from the personal name Egbert.
FOREBEARS Louis Hébert (son of Nicolas, apothecary to the Queen, and grocer, and his wife Jacqueline Pajot) was in Acadia in 1606–1607 and again in 1611–1613; he arrived in Quebec city in 1617, and was the father of the first French child born in Quebec. The following secondary surnames are recorded: Lecomte, from Normandy, documented in Quebec city in 1655; Jolicoeur, documented in Montreal in 1653; Laverdure, from Paris, documented in Trois Rivières in 1666; Deslauriers, recorded in 1679; Larose, from Normandy, documented in Voucherville in 1679; and Minfret or Lesperance, from Normandy, recorded in 1701. The LA Hébert families trace their descent from Acadian descendants of Albert and Étienne Hébert who left their native village of La-Haye-Descartes, Touraine, circa 1640.
