Michael Whaley

(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 from Whaley in Derbyshire, Whalley in Lancashire, or Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire (formerly in Cheshire). The first is probably named with Old English wælla ‘spring’, ‘stream’ + lēah ‘(woodland) clearing’. The second has as the first element Old English hwæl ‘round hill’, and the last has Old English weg ‘path’, ‘road’ as the first element, the second element in both cases also being lēah.