UK boy's name
Mickey
A diminutive form of the given name Michael, of Hebrew origin, meaning "who is like God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mickey is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mickey popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1595, with 16 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 26 births.
This profile covers 380 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 62% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 377 living people in the UK are called Mickey. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mickey ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 16 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 26 boys were registered as Mickey.
- • About 377 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mickey as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1595
2024
Births in 2024
16
Latest year
Peak year
2015
26 births
Estimated living
377
2026
Meaning
What does Mickey mean?
Mickey is a diminutive form of the name Michael, which derives from the Hebrew name Mikhael. The name Mikhael is composed of two elements: "mi" meaning "who" and "kha'el" meaning "is like God". Thus, the original meaning of the name is "who is like God".
The name Michael first appeared in the Bible, where it referred to an archangel. It later became a popular name among Christians and Jews due to its religious significance. The shortened form Mickey emerged as a nickname for Michael in English-speaking countries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mickey was in the 13th century, when it appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England. The name referred to a man named Mickey de Caerwent.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Mickey. One of the most famous was Mickey Mantle, an American professional baseball player who played for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968. He was born in 1931 and passed away in 1995.
Another well-known Mickey was Mickey Rooney, an American actor who had a career spanning nearly a century. He was born in 1920 and died in 2014.
In the world of music, Mickey Hart is a renowned American percussionist and drummer, best known as a member of the Grateful Dead. He was born in 1943 and is still active in the music industry.
Mickey Spillane was an American crime novelist who created the popular detective character Mike Hammer. He was born in 1918 and died in 2006.
Lastly, Mickey Thompson was an American racing driver, motorsports entrepreneur, and pioneer in the field of automotive aftermarket accessories. He was born in 1928 and tragically murdered in 1988.
While these are just a few examples, the name Mickey has been used throughout history by individuals from various fields and backgrounds, reflecting its enduring popularity as a diminutive form of the name Michael.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mickey over time
The chart below shows babies named Mickey registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Mickey, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 16 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mickey by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mickey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2484 | 54 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1421 | 181 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1593 | 124 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1690 | 21 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Mickey
- 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
Mickey: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mickey in the UK right now?
In 2024, Mickey was ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales, with 16 births registered.
When was Mickey most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 26 babies registered as Mickey in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mickey?
A diminutive form of the given name Michael, of Hebrew origin, meaning "who is like God".
How many people are called Mickey in the UK?
A total of 380 babies have been registered as Mickey across the 28 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.