Fun Facts About the Name Micah
- A newer favorite: Micah first entered the U.S. top 100 in 2022 and stayed there through 2025 - a run of 4 consecutive years.
- More than 133 thousand babies named Micah: U.S. records list 133,551 babies given the name Micah from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 14,029 girls received the name Micah - about 1 girl for every 9 boys.
What Does the Name Micah Mean?
Micah is a Hebrew name meaning "Who is like Yahweh?" It comes from the biblical Hebrew Mikhah (מִיכָה), a shortened form of Mikhayahu (מִיכָיָהוּ) or Mikhayah (מִיכָיָה). The name is built from three elements: mi ("who"), ka ("like"), and Yah, the shortened form of the divine name YHWH. The whole is a rhetorical question rather than a statement - a way of praising God by asking who could compare with him.
Because the short form drops the final element of the longer name, English Bibles and name dictionaries commonly give the sense as "Who is like God?" That is a customary general rendering, not a different etymology: the underlying Hebrew word is the divine name Yah. The name is not the same as Michael even though the two look alike in English. Michael is built on El, a general Hebrew word for God, while Micah and its longer form Micaiah use Yah.
Micah Name History & Origins
The name appears in the Hebrew Bible for several different figures. The best known is the prophet Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah in the 8th century BCE, whose oracles make up the Book of Micah, one of the twelve shorter prophetic books. Among its familiar passages are the prediction of a ruler coming from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and the summary of what God asks of people - justice, mercy, and a humble walk (Micah 6:8). A separate Micah, from the hill country of Ephraim, appears in Judges 17 - 18, where he sets up a shrine with a silver image and hires a Levite to serve it. The longer form of the name belongs to Micaiah son of Imlah, the prophet who spoke against King Ahab in 1 Kings 22.
The prophet's name was written Michaias in the Greek Septuagint and Michaeas in the Latin Bible; the English spelling "Micah" comes through that line of transmission. In Hebrew the name is pronounced with a guttural kh in the middle, which English speakers usually replace with a plain k. The name entered English through Bible translation and was adopted as a given name, particularly by Protestants who favored names taken directly from scripture. Arthur Conan Doyle used it for the title character of his 1889 historical novel Micah Clarke.
How Popular is the Name Micah?
Micah recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2022. Micah entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #909 | 291 | 0.0181% |
| 2024 | #841 | 320 | 0.0198% |
| 2023 | #1,010 | 251 | 0.0157% |
| 2022 | #1,130 | 217 | 0.0132% |
| 2021 | #969 | 268 | 0.0163% |
| 2020 | #1,056 | 236 | 0.0146% |
| 2019 | #940 | 281 | 0.0168% |
| 2018 | #972 | 272 | 0.0160% |
| 2017 | #977 | 268 | 0.0155% |
| 2016 | #964 | 281 | 0.0159% |
| 2015 | #841 | 334 | 0.0187% |
| 2014 | #990 | 269 | 0.0151% |
| 2013 | #878 | 294 | 0.0168% |
| 2012 | #868 | 307 | 0.0174% |
| 2011 | #909 | 288 | 0.0164% |
| 2010 | #843 | 319 | 0.0179% |
| 2009 | #816 | 347 | 0.0189% |
| 2008 | #889 | 313 | 0.0166% |
| 2007 | #768 | 379 | 0.0197% |
| 2006 | #712 | 401 | 0.0211% |
| 2005 | #857 | 295 | 0.0160% |
| 2004 | #759 | 344 | 0.0187% |
| 2003 | #706 | 371 | 0.0203% |
| 2002 | #641 | 397 | 0.0221% |
| 2001 | #629 | 399 | 0.0222% |
| 2000 | #636 | 393 | 0.0216% |
| 1999 | #586 | 421 | 0.0237% |
| 1998 | #582 | 415 | 0.0235% |
| 1997 | #613 | 369 | 0.0212% |
| 1996 | #627 | 359 | 0.0205% |
| 1995 | #629 | 348 | 0.0198% |
| 1994 | #718 | 289 | 0.0162% |
| 1993 | #747 | 278 | 0.0154% |
| 1992 | #769 | 270 | 0.0146% |
| 1991 | #815 | 252 | 0.0134% |
| 1990 | #908 | 212 | 0.0112% |
| 1989 | #975 | 179 | 0.0097% |
| 1988 | #855 | 210 | 0.0118% |
| 1987 | #892 | 189 | 0.0109% |
| 1986 | #894 | 184 | 0.0107% |
| 1985 | #943 | 166 | 0.0096% |
| 1984 | #872 | 175 | 0.0104% |
| 1983 | #924 | 162 | 0.0097% |
| 1982 | #969 | 153 | 0.0090% |
| 1981 | #910 | 165 | 0.0099% |
| 1980 | #1,067 | 133 | 0.0080% |
| 1979 | #1,044 | 134 | 0.0083% |
| 1978 | #957 | 146 | 0.0095% |
| 1977 | #1,190 | 104 | 0.0068% |
| 1976 | #1,170 | 98 | 0.0067% |
| 1975 | #1,345 | 80 | 0.0055% |
| 1974 | #1,321 | 81 | 0.0055% |
| 1973 | #1,678 | 54 | 0.0037% |
| 1972 | #2,013 | 40 | 0.0026% |
| 1971 | #2,522 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 1970 | #2,832 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1969 | #2,980 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1968 | #3,555 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1967 | #3,597 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1966 | #3,117 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1965 | #3,120 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1964 | #4,033 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1963 | #3,961 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1962 | #4,765 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #4,782 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #5,524 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #4,216 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1958 | #4,108 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1956 | #6,581 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1955 | #4,281 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1954 | #5,547 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #90 | 3,817 | 0.2235% |
| 2024 | #86 | 3,909 | 0.2279% |
| 2023 | #87 | 3,889 | 0.2276% |
| 2022 | #89 | 3,964 | 0.2272% |
| 2021 | #107 | 3,623 | 0.2072% |
| 2020 | #106 | 3,410 | 0.1977% |
| 2019 | #110 | 3,506 | 0.1955% |
| 2018 | #103 | 3,777 | 0.2080% |
| 2017 | #107 | 3,710 | 0.2005% |
| 2016 | #115 | 3,496 | 0.1843% |
| 2015 | #105 | 3,766 | 0.1965% |
| 2014 | #109 | 3,666 | 0.1909% |
| 2013 | #105 | 3,700 | 0.1956% |
| 2012 | #103 | 3,764 | 0.1985% |
| 2011 | #102 | 3,771 | 0.1986% |
| 2010 | #108 | 3,570 | 0.1861% |
| 2009 | #118 | 3,541 | 0.1785% |
| 2008 | #121 | 3,527 | 0.1729% |
| 2007 | #126 | 3,307 | 0.1594% |
| 2006 | #145 | 2,841 | 0.1382% |
| 2005 | #150 | 2,714 | 0.1359% |
| 2004 | #161 | 2,489 | 0.1254% |
| 2003 | #173 | 2,286 | 0.1157% |
| 2002 | #173 | 2,224 | 0.1146% |
| 2001 | #178 | 2,113 | 0.1088% |
| 2000 | #186 | 1,975 | 0.1006% |
| 1999 | #195 | 1,739 | 0.0906% |
| 1998 | #199 | 1,692 | 0.0885% |
| 1997 | #202 | 1,570 | 0.0833% |
| 1996 | #210 | 1,478 | 0.0780% |
| 1995 | #212 | 1,391 | 0.0731% |
| 1994 | #246 | 1,169 | 0.0605% |
| 1993 | #240 | 1,203 | 0.0613% |
| 1992 | #242 | 1,195 | 0.0598% |
| 1991 | #245 | 1,136 | 0.0562% |
| 1990 | #238 | 1,180 | 0.0574% |
| 1989 | #237 | 1,118 | 0.0559% |
| 1988 | #224 | 1,114 | 0.0582% |
| 1987 | #224 | 1,064 | 0.0570% |
| 1986 | #217 | 1,101 | 0.0598% |
| 1985 | #208 | 1,147 | 0.0621% |
| 1984 | #207 | 1,113 | 0.0617% |
| 1983 | #220 | 1,039 | 0.0580% |
| 1982 | #216 | 1,123 | 0.0619% |
| 1981 | #213 | 1,168 | 0.0652% |
| 1980 | #228 | 1,048 | 0.0587% |
| 1979 | #205 | 1,144 | 0.0664% |
| 1978 | #215 | 1,006 | 0.0613% |
| 1977 | #211 | 1,051 | 0.0640% |
| 1976 | #226 | 900 | 0.0574% |
| 1975 | #254 | 790 | 0.0506% |
| 1974 | #272 | 694 | 0.0441% |
| 1973 | #327 | 527 | 0.0338% |
| 1972 | #407 | 373 | 0.0230% |
| 1971 | #490 | 269 | 0.0152% |
| 1970 | #540 | 225 | 0.0121% |
| 1969 | #592 | 174 | 0.0097% |
| 1968 | #661 | 130 | 0.0075% |
| 1967 | #656 | 129 | 0.0074% |
| 1966 | #717 | 108 | 0.0061% |
| 1965 | #691 | 117 | 0.0063% |
| 1964 | #773 | 96 | 0.0048% |
| 1963 | #783 | 95 | 0.0047% |
| 1962 | #731 | 110 | 0.0053% |
| 1961 | #761 | 103 | 0.0048% |
| 1960 | #892 | 73 | 0.0034% |
| 1959 | #960 | 65 | 0.0030% |
| 1958 | #1,414 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1957 | #1,742 | 22 | 0.0010% |
| 1956 | #1,629 | 24 | 0.0011% |
| 1955 | #1,527 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1954 | #2,089 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1953 | #2,361 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1952 | #2,124 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1951 | #2,213 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1950 | #1,929 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1949 | #1,858 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1947 | #4,084 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,846 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Micah
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How the Name Micah Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Micah's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Micah's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.