Michael Stadler

(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.

German: from a derivative of Middle High German stadel ‘barn’, ‘granary’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived near a barn or granary, or occupational name for an official who was responsible for receiving tithes into the manorial storehouse. The surname is also occasionally borne by Ashkenazic Jews, apparently as an adoption of the German surname. It is also found in Slovenia, where it is commonly spelled Štadler.