(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: nickname for a powerfully built man or someone of violent emotions, from the Middle English adjective rank (Old English ranc ‘proud’, ‘rebellious’).
English: from a medieval personal name, a back-formation from the diminutive Rankin.
South German: variant of Rang 2.
German: nickname either for an agile person, from Middle High German ranc ‘quick turn’, or in some instances for someone who was tall and thin, from Low German rank. In some cases the surname may have been from a personal name formed with this element.
Czech: from a pet form of a personal name, which could be either Slavic Ranožir or Germanic Randolf (see Randolph).
Swedish and Danish: nickname from rank ‘erect’, ‘upright’, ‘straight’.
