(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.
Dutch: variant spelling of Kroll.
Polish (Król) and Jewish (from Polish): from Polish król ‘king’, a Polish nickname for someone with a superior manner or for a leader in a community, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who worked in a royal household. As a Jewish name it is an ornamental adoption. Compare Kral.
Polish and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): nickname or ornamental name from Polish król ‘rabbit’, Ukrainian krol. See also Krolik.
FOREBEARS The Dutch colonial official Bastiaen Jansen Krol (1595–1674) was born at Harlingen in Friesland. He emigrated to New Netherland in 1626 with authority to perform the ceremonies of baptism and marriage. At various times from 1626 to 1643 he was commissary and director at Fort Orange (Albany), NY.
