Michelle

#39 in New Mexico

Meaning of Michelle

Michelle, pronounced mih-SHEL, is the French feminine form of Michel and thus a direct linguistic descendant of the Hebrew מִיכָאֵל (Mikhaʾel), the interrogative phrase “Who is like God?”, whose theological subtext of humility toward the divine coexists with an implicit martial strength through its connection to the archangel Michael. Carried into English usage via Norman influence and later reinforced by nineteenth-century Francophone immigration, the name remained statistically modest until an array of mid-twentieth-century cultural catalysts—most conspicuously the 1965 Beatles ballad “Michelle” and a broader American enthusiasm for French aesthetics—propelled it into rapid ascendancy, culminating in sustained top-ten status in U.S. birth records throughout the 1970s before a measured decline to its current mid-hundreds ranking. Contemporary prominence is continually refreshed by public figures such as former First Lady Michelle Obama, actress Michelle Pfeiffer, and figure skater Michelle Kwan, each of whom extends the name’s associations to spheres of political leadership, cinematic artistry, and athletic excellence. Observed on 29 September alongside its masculine counterpart at Michaelmas in many Christian calendars, Michelle combines scriptural resonance, continental elegance, and multigenerational familiarity, rendering it an option that balances classical depth with modern cultural currency for parents considering a daughter’s name today.

Pronunciation

British English

  • Pronunced as mih-SHEL (/mɪˈʃel/)

American English

  • Pronunced as mih-SHEL (/mɪˈʃɛl/)

U.S. Popularity Chart

States Popularity Chart

Notable People Named Michelle

Michelle Bachelet is a Chilean politician who became the country’s first woman president across two terms and later led UN Women and served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Michelle Obama is an American attorney and author who served as First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 and is married to Barack Obama, the 44th president.
Michelle Wingshan Kwan is a retired American figure skater and diplomat who won two Olympic medals, five world titles, and nine United States titles, tying Maribel Vinson for the national record, and served as the United States Ambassador to Belize from 2022 to 2025.
Michelle Jacquet Branch is an American singer songwriter and guitarist who won a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals with Santana for the 2002 single The Game of Love.
Michelle Wolf is an American comedian, writer, producer, and TV host known for work on Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show, serving as the featured performer at the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner, and for her Netflix series The Break and 2019 stand up special Joke Show.
Michelle Rodriguez is an American actress who broke out in Girlfight and is known for Fast and Furious, Resident Evil, SWAT, Avatar, and Battle Los Angeles.
Michelle Janine Howard is a retired United States Navy four star admiral who last led US Naval Forces Europe and Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples and previously served as the 38th Vice Chief of Naval Operations, assuming her final assignment on June 7 2016.
Michelle Alexander is an American writer, attorney, and civil rights activist best known for The New Jim Crow and as a New York Times opinion columnist since 2018.
Michelle Lynn Monaghan is an American actress known for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Gone Baby Gone, Source Code, and a recurring role in the Mission Impossible films.
Michelle Fairley is a Northern Irish actress best known as Catelyn Stark in Game of Thrones, with later roles in Suits, 24 Live Another Day, Rebellion, The Feed, and Gangs of London.
Michelle Ang is a New Zealand actress, director, and producer known for film and television, a New Zealand Film and Television Awards Best Actress winner and an Emmy and Logie nominee.
Michelle Rowland is an Australian Labor politician, Attorney General of Australia since May 2025, MP for Greenway since 2010, and former Communications Minister and NSW Labor president.
Michelle Krusiec is an American actress who also writes and produces.
Michelle Ferrari is an Italian adult film actress and television personality.
Michelle Vogel is an Australian born film historian, author, and freelance editor known for biographies of classic Hollywood stars, along with compilations and a childrens book.
Miriam Johnson
Curated byMiriam Johnson

Assistant Editor