UK boy's name
Mitchel
A masculine name of English origin meaning "from the big settlement".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mitchel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mitchel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 66 births.
This profile covers 607 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 5% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 647 living people in the UK are called Mitchel. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mitchel ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 66 boys were registered as Mitchel.
- • Mitchel ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #307 in 2005.
- • About 647 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mitchel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
1998
66 births
Estimated living
647
2026
Meaning
What does Mitchel mean?
The given name Mitchel has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is a variant of the name Michael, which is derived from the Hebrew words "mi" meaning "who" and "kel" meaning "God". The name essentially means "one who is like God".
Mitchel was a popular name among Jewish communities in the Middle East and Europe during the medieval period. It is believed to have first appeared in written records around the 5th century AD, with references found in ancient Hebrew texts and religious scriptures such as the Talmud.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mitchel can be traced back to a Jewish scholar and philosopher named Mitchel ben Maimon, who lived in Spain during the 12th century (1135-1204). He was also known as Maimonides and is considered one of the most influential figures in Jewish theology and philosophy.
Another notable historical figure with the name Mitchel was Mitchel Cervantes (1547-1616), a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. He is best known for his iconic work, "Don Quixote", which is regarded as one of the greatest works of fiction ever written.
In the realm of religion, Mitchel was the name of a 16th-century Catholic cardinal and theologian, Mitchel Ghislieri (1504-1572), who later became Pope Pius V. He played a significant role in the Counter-Reformation and is remembered for his efforts to reform the Catholic Church.
During the American Revolutionary War, Mitchel was the name of an Irish-born American military officer, Mitchel Clinton (1736-1795). He served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army and played a crucial role in several important battles, including the Battle of Monmouth.
In the field of science, Mitchel Faraday (1791-1867) was a renowned English physicist and chemist who made significant contributions to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. He is credited with discovering the principles of electromagnetic induction and the laws of electrolysis.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Mitchel. While its popularity has fluctuated over time, the name continues to carry a rich cultural and historical significance, reflecting its ancient Hebrew roots and the timeless meaning of being "like God".
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mitchel over time
The chart below shows babies named Mitchel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Mitchel, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 66 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mitchel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mitchel 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 | #4890 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3073 | 47 | 6 |
| 2000s | #741 | 336 | 10 |
| 1990s | #403 | 218 | 4 |
Geography
Where Mitchel is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Mitchel. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Mitchel ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #307 in 2005.
Across the UK
Mitchel in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#501 in 2007
9 years of NRS records, 40 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#307 in 2005
2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Mitchel
-
Mitchel Frame
association football player
Scottish footballer
2006-
-
Mitchel Megginson
association football player
Scottish footballer (born 1992)
1992-
-
Mitchel Godden
motorcycle racer
English motorcycle rider
1975-
-
Mitchel Scanlon
writer; comics creator; science fiction writer
British writer of science fiction novels and comics
1950-
-
Mitchel McLaughlin
politician
Northern Irish politician (born 1945)
1945-
Related
Names similar to Mitchel
- 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
Mitchel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mitchel in the UK right now?
In 2023, Mitchel was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Mitchel most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 66 babies registered as Mitchel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mitchel?
A masculine name of English origin meaning "from the big settlement".
How many people are called Mitchel in the UK?
A total of 607 babies have been registered as Mitchel across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 40 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Mitchel most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Mitchel ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #307 in 2005. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.