Michael Mendenhall

(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.

English: habitational name for someone from either of two places called Mildenhall, in Suffolk and Wiltshire. The place in Suffolk may have been named in Old English as ‘middle nook of land’, from middel + halh, or it may be of the same origin as the Wiltshire place name, ‘Milda's nook of land’, from an unattested Old English personal name + halh. The spelling Mendenhall does not appear in English sources, and this may be a U.S. variant.