(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 (chiefly Nottinghamshire): nickname from the personal name Herod (Greek Hērōdēs, apparently derived from hērōs ‘hero’), borne by the king of Judea (died AD 4) who at the time of the birth of Christ ordered that all male children in Bethlehem should be slaughtered (Matthew 2: 16–18). In medieval mystery plays Herod was portrayed as a blustering tyrant, and the name was therefore given to someone one who had played the part, or who had an overbearing temper.
English: variant of Harold (1 or 2).
Greek: shortened form of Herodiadis, a patronymic from the classical personal name Hērodiōn. This was the name of a relative of St. Paul and an early Bishop of Patras, venerated in the Orthodox Church. Hērodēs ‘Herod’ is also found in Greek as a nickname for a violent man, but this is less likely to be the source of the surname.
