Michael

Michael is a masculine first name and family name. To see Michaela female form.

Origin and Meaning

The first name Michael comes from the Hebrew (Hebrew מיכאל ( Mikha'el ) ), meaning " Who is like God? '. It is named after the Archangel Michael, who is to assess, among other things, the deeds of the deceased person with the soul balance.

Dissemination

Michael is a popular name in many countries of the world. The name found in Germany, according to a theory first popularity by the Byzantine wife of German Emperor Otto II, Theophano, who ruled himself for seven years as German Empress. The name was popular in the Byzantine Empire, bore him nine emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Michael I. to Michael IX. of Byzantium.

In the Middle Ages the name was in the census of 1323-48 not yet among the top ten names in southern Germany ( the example of Bamberg), in the 1481-97 census, it was then on position 8 of the most popular first names in Bamberg, but not in Northern Germany. From genealogical statistics in Europe can be inferred that the first name was around the year 1600, and shortly thereafter a small high in popularity ( top 0.2 % of all first names in 1611 ), then by the end of the 1930s a relatively steady frequency of 0 0.05-0, 1% had.

From the end of the 19th century in Germany are still relatively reliable statistics name. Thus Michael was in the decade 1890-1899 at the 53rd place of popularity. In the two decades from 1900 to 1920 Michael was no longer among the most common eighty or ninety first name, was in the 1920s at number 90 and in the 1930s at number 81

1941 emerged the name for the first time on the list of the most common male name in Germany at 35, on number 27, then rose continuously over No. 20 (1942 /43) and 17th (1944 ) at number 14 in 1945. This increase in the time of National socialism Hebrew and other ethnic name took place despite the official denial. On the other hand, was also named a 1929 published novel of the later propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels after his hero Michael.

The popularity of the given name Michael continued to rise in 1948 at number 12, 1950 at No. 7, and thus the first time among the ten most popular first name. 1955, the first name was then at No. 1, and remained among the top three most popular name given to 1973 in Germany. 1st place he reached in 1955, 1956, 1959, 1971, 1972 and 1973. In 1974 he came nurmehr in 6th place, reached 1975-1984 fluctuating values ​​between 2nd and 11th place before from 1985 no longer among the top ten Names landed. 1985 to 1988 he was still to be found among the top fifteen in 1990 then only on place 30 From 1992 he is no longer among the 35 most popular first name. In 2005, he is ranked 72, 2007 at No. 92, in 2010 at No. 100

As from 1941, the increased popularity of the given name in Germany is related to the concomitant rise in popularity of the name in the United States is unclear. Here was the name, just as in Germany, in 1880 still at No. 51, ​​1930 to No. 54, but then increased from 1936 in terms of popularity slowly. In 1940 he was in the U.S. at number 18, in 1943 at No. 10, and 1946 at No. 7 From 1953 to 2010, the first name was always in the United States on one of the top three spots, from 1954 to 1998 as many as 45 years on Platz 1, then again from 1999 to 2008 at No. 2 was not until 2011 ran the first name in the U.S. at number 6, the first name in 2012 in 2012 to 8th place in the city of New York was black boy at No. 6 in white boys still at No. 3

Similarly, the first name is popular today only in Brazil (2013 Platz 1, as Miguel ) and Ireland (2012 9th place). In the Philippines, Denmark ( Mikkel, No. 11 ) and Finland ( Mikael, 14th), Austria (No. 24 ) puts the name in 2012, however, no longer among the ten most popular name, unlike a few years ago. In England, the popularity fell steadily since the mid-eighties, was in 1996 at No. 22, 2011 only on place 53

Patron

The Archangel Michael is the patron saint of the Israelite as the German people and the Catholic Church. Numerous shrines and churches are dedicated to him; these are listed under Michaelis Church. He also acts as the patron saint of numerous professional groups such as pharmacists, bakers, merchants, or police officers. As leader of the " heavenly host ," he is also the patron saint of paratroopers of all nations.

Name-day

As a commemoration of the Archangel Michael September 29th ( Michaelmas ) is celebrated by the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and some Protestant churches. The Eastern Churches celebrate today the feast of St. Michael, after the old Byzantine church depending on, among other things, the dates June 18, October 27 and 10 December had been in use on November 8.

Other observances of the Roman Catholic Church are:

• 3 February: Michael Brenner
• March 8: Michael Wittmann
• May 20: Johann Michael Sailer
• July 10: Engelbert Kolland ( baptismal name: Michael )

Other observances of the orthodox churches are:

Variants

• Maicon ( Portuguese)
• Maik, Meik
• Micah
• Micha
• Mikhail ( Russian, Eastern European )
• Michal (Slovak, Czech), Michał ( Polish, Sorbian )
• Μιχάλης ( Michalis ) Μιχαήλ ( Μichail ) ( Greek)
• Mícheál (Irish)
• Michel ( French, German also short form)
• Michele ( Italian)
• Michi, Michl, Mik ( German short forms )
• Machiel ( Dutch)
• Michiel ( Dutch)
• Mick, Micky ( English short forms )
• Miguel (Spanish, Portuguese)
• Michael, Mihael ( Croatian)
• Mijo ( Croatian short form of Mihovil )
• Mihailo, Mihajlo (Serbian )
• Mihail ( Romanian)
• Mihály ( Hungarian)
• Mihkel ( Estonian)
• Miikka ( Finnish)
• Mika ( Finnish)
• Mikk ( Estonian)
• Mikkel ( Scandinavian)
• Mikko (Finnish, Estonian)
• Mikael ( Scandinavian, Finnish, Armenian Միքաել )
• Mikaël (French)
• Mikail, also Mika'il, Mikaeel (Arabic ميخائيل, Turkish)
• Mike, Mikey ( English short form (read: Maik ), and Swedish short form (pronounced Mike) )
• Miquel (Catalan )
• Mischa ( Миша, Russian diminutive, synonymous with Bear)
• Mitchell ( English)
• Mitgel (Romansh )
• Mochl (short form in the Allgäu dialect)
• Michu (short form in Bernese dialect )

Well-known bearers of the name

• Rulers, see List of rulers named Michael
• Name, see Michael (surname )

Artist Name

• Michael Hartl ( b. 1949 ), the male part of the presenters and vocal duo Marianne and Michael
• George Michael ( born 1963 ), British singer
• Marion Michael (1940-2007), German actress

Female first name

• Michael Learned ( born 1939 ), American actress