(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: habitational name from places in Devon and Cheshire, named in Old English as ‘common wood or clearing’, from (ge)mǣne ‘common’, ‘shared’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. The surname is still chiefly found in the regions around these villages.
English: nickname from Middle English mannly ‘manly’, ‘virile’, ‘brave’ (Old English mannlīc, originally ‘man-like’).
Irish (County Cork): Anglicized form of Ó Máinle (and often pronounced Mauly), of unexplained origin. Compare Malley.
Irish (Connacht and Donegal): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Maonghaile ‘descendant of Maonghal’, a personal name derived from words meaning ‘wealth’ and ‘valor’.
