Miguel
mee-GEL /miˈɡɛl/
Meaning of Miguel
Miguel is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Michael, from the Hebrew מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el): mi ('who') + kha ('like') + el ('God'). The full name is a rhetorical question: 'Who is like God?' — implying the answer is 'no one.' Michael is one of the two named archangels and the patron of soldiers, police and paramedics. Miguel has been a top-3 boys' name in Spain and Mexico for generations.
How to pronounce Miguel
In Spanish: mi-GEL (stress on second syllable, hard g).
Current popularity of Miguel
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #77 |
| Spain (INE) | 2024 | #2 |
| Mexico (INEGI) | 2024 | #7 |
| Portugal (INE) | 2024 | #1 |
Notable bearers of Miguel
Miguel de Cervantes (author of Don Quixote, 1547–1616); Miguel Fernández Ordóñez; Miguel (R&B singer).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Miguel — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
- https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
- https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736177009
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31