(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.
German: from a short form of any of the various Germanic personal names with the first element hrōd ‘renown’. Compare Robert, Rudiger.
North German, Danish, and English: topographic name for someone who lived on land cleared for cultivation or in a clearing in woodland, from Middle Low German rode, Danish rothe, Old English rod. Compare English Rhodes.
English: habitational name from any of the many places named with this word, as for example Rode in Cheshire.
Slovenian: topographic name from the adjective rod ‘barren’, denoting someone who lived on a barren land.
Slovenian: nickname from the Slovenian dialect word rode ‘person with disheveled hair’, a derivative of rod ‘curly’ or ‘hairy’.
