UK boy's name
Michiel
A masculine name of French origin meaning "who is like God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2001. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Michiel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Michiel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2001 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3134, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2000 to 2001. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Michiel. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2002 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Michiel ranked #3134 for boys in England and Wales in 2001, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 3 boys were registered as Michiel.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Michiel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3134
2001
Births in 2001
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Michiel mean?
The given name Michiel is derived from the Hebrew name Michael, which means "who is like God?". It is a name with ancient roots dating back to biblical times. The name Michael appears in the Old Testament as one of the archangels and the name was widely adopted across various cultures and languages.
In Dutch, the name Michiel is a variant spelling of the more common Michael. It is believed to have originated in the Low Countries region of northwestern Europe, which includes modern-day Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of northern France. The Dutch spelling Michiel emerged during the Middle Ages and was widely used among Dutch-speaking communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Michiel can be found in the 9th century, when it was used by Michiel de Oude (Michael the Elder), a Frankish nobleman and Count of Teisterbant. Another notable bearer of the name was Michiel van der Heijden, a 14th-century Dutch philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on scholasticism.
In the world of arts and literature, Michiel Sweerts was a 17th-century Flemish painter known for his genre scenes and portraits. Michiel de Ruyter (1607-1676) was a renowned Dutch admiral who played a crucial role in the Dutch Golden Age, leading the Dutch naval forces to several victories against the English and French fleets.
The name Michiel also had notable bearers in the realm of science and exploration. Michiel Adriaanszoon de Ruyter (1570-1638) was a Dutch explorer and navigator who made significant contributions to the mapping of the Arctic region. Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt (1567-1641) was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his exquisite portraits of the Dutch elite.
During the 20th century, Michiel de Ruyter (1914-1992) was a Dutch politician and diplomat who served as the Netherlands' Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1973 to 1977. Michiel Kersten (1963-) is a contemporary Dutch author and journalist known for his works on organized crime and investigative journalism.
The name Michiel has a rich history spanning centuries and has been borne by numerous influential figures across various fields, reflecting its enduring popularity and cultural significance within the Dutch-speaking world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Michiel over time
The chart below shows babies named Michiel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2001. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Michiel, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2001, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Michiel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Michiel was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3085 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Michiel
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Michiel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Michiel in the UK right now?
In 2001, Michiel was ranked #3134 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Michiel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 3 babies registered as Michiel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Michiel?
A masculine name of French origin meaning "who is like God".
How many people are called Michiel in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Michiel across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.