Declining since 2002, #14,942 for girls today.
Popularity of Mishel since 1968
Babies named Mishel per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2008, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Mishel's real moment was 2020.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 10 |
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 22 |
| 1990s | 51 |
| 2000s | 97 |
| 2010s | 74 |
| 2020s | 51 |
Meaning & origin
Mishel is a rare feminine name that saw its first recorded use in 1968, but remained extremely uncommon for decades. The name reached its peak popularity in 2020, though even then it was still a very rare choice. Since 2002, its usage has been declining, reflecting a trajectory that shows it falling out of favor. As of 2025, it ranks 14,942 nationally, with only about 1 in every 321,453 babies receiving the name. Mishel has not appeared among the top names in any state, indicating its usage is scattered and infrequent. This name likely appeals to parents seeking a unique variation of the more familiar Michelle, offering an international flair through its Eastern European spelling.
Mishel is a variant of Michelle, the feminine form of Michael, which derives from the Hebrew Mikha'el meaning 'Who is like God?' While Michelle has French origins as the feminine of Michel, Mishel represents a simplified spelling more common in Russian and Eastern European contexts as a transliteration of Мишель. In English-speaking countries, Mishel emerged as a modern respelling, gaining some use since the late 1960s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mish, Shel, Mimi
Sibling names for Mishel
Names that share Mishel's style, for a brother or sister.
