Declining since 2015, #1,867 for boys today.
Popularity of Mikhail since 1968
Babies named Mikhail per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2015, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Mikhail's real moment was 2021.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 |
| 1970s | 59 |
| 1980s | 469 |
| 1990s | 806 |
| 2000s | 986 |
| 2010s | 1,223 |
| 2020s | 586 |
Meaning & origin
Mikhail is the Russian form of Michael, a name with deep biblical roots. In the United States, it has been in use since at least 1968, with its popularity rising gradually and peaking recently in 2021. However, since 2015 the name has been on a declining trajectory. It remains relatively uncommon, with about 1 in 20,334 boys receiving the name in 2025, when it ranked 1867th. The name is most frequently chosen in Massachusetts, Florida, and California, reflecting significant Russian-American communities. Mikhail has a strong literary and royal pedigree in Russia, associated with figures like author Mikhail Bulgakov and Tsar Mikhail I. For parents seeking a name with international flair and a classic meaning, Mikhail offers a distinguished alternative to the more common Michael.
Mikhail is the Russian and other Slavic form of Michael, which derives from the Hebrew name Mikha'el, meaning 'Who is like God?' This rhetorical question is traditionally understood as a declaration that no one is like God. The name appears in the Bible as an archangel and is common among Eastern Orthodox Christians. In Russia, Mikhail has been a classic name borne by several tsars, writers, and artists.
Where Mikhail is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Mikhail” around the world
Where Mikhail lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
20
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Misha, Mishka, Mikha
Sibling names for Mikhail
Names that share Mikhail's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Anna, Natalia, Olga, Sofia, Yulia, Aleksandra, Asya, Daria, Ivanka, Ivanna, Katya, Larisa, Mariya, Mischa, Nadya, Nakita, Natalya, Natasha, Nika, Nikita, Polina, Sonia, Sonya, Tamara, Tasia, Vanya, Yelena, Yuri, Anastasiya, Annya, Darina, Ekaterina, Halina, Inessa, Inna, Jenia, Katja, Nadja, Nastasha, Nastassja, Natassia, Sonjia, Stasha, Svetlana, Tanyia, Alyona, Danila, Elizaveta, Galina, Juliya, Matasha, Natassja, Natika, Ninel, Soniya, Vasilisa, Viktoriya, Zasha, Anastasya, Kseniya, Lidiya, Nadezhda, Natash, Netasha, Shonya, Taisa, Varvara
Brothers: Alexei, Dmitri, Ivan, Nikolai, Pavel, Aleksander, Aleksandr, Andrey, Boris, Demitri, Serge, Aleks, Alexandr, Alexey, Alik, Illya, Ilya, Kaz, Kirill, Nickolai, Nikolay, Nikoli, Sergey, Timofey, Artem, Daniil, Iliya, Matvey, Yan, Yuriy, Arseniy, Danil, Fyodor, Savva, Sergei
