Fun Facts About the Name Mike
- A favorite of earlier generations: Mike appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 20 years. Its last run lasted 13 consecutive years, from 1956 through 1968.
- More than 206 thousand babies named Mike: U.S. records list 206,532 babies given the name Mike from 1880 through 2025. Even 662 girls received the name Mike - about 1 girl for every 311 boys.
What Does the Name Mike Mean?
Mike is an English short form of Michael. The meaning comes from the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el), traditionally understood as the rhetorical question "Who is like God?" The Hebrew components are mi ("who"), ke ("like" or "as"), and El ("God"). Some scholars read the phrase as a question, while others treat it as an exclamation or declarative statement; the exact nuance is uncertain. The name passed into Greek as Μιχαήλ (Mikhaēl) and into Latin as Michael, and the English short form Mike inherits the same meaning rather than having a separate etymology.
Mike Name History & Origins
Michael is a biblical name. In the Hebrew Bible, Michael appears in the Book of Daniel as a heavenly protector of Israel. The New Testament names Michael as an archangel in the Epistle of Jude and the Book of Revelation. Through Jewish, Christian, and later Islamic tradition, the archangel Michael became a widely recognized figure, and the name Michael was used in Greek, Latin, and medieval European languages. English inherited the name from Latin and Greek forms.
Mike is a clipped or familiar form of Michael. English speakers shortened Michael to Mike in speech, much as they formed Mick and Mickey. Mike has also been used as an independent given name in English, but it remains closely associated with Michael.
How Popular is the Name Mike?
Mike recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1960. Mike ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1943 through 1949, then returned in 1956 and remained through 1968.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | #14,937 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #11,270 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #9,448 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #7,784 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #11,503 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #9,747 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #10,663 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #7,827 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #6,274 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1974 | #6,643 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #7,149 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #4,988 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #5,376 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #2,906 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1969 | #2,559 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1968 | #3,266 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1967 | #4,518 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #3,683 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1965 | #2,659 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1964 | #2,799 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1963 | #2,835 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1962 | #3,254 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1961 | #2,450 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1960 | #2,488 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1959 | #2,272 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1958 | #2,431 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1957 | #3,616 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1956 | #3,630 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1955 | #3,975 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1954 | #3,441 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1953 | #3,887 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #4,791 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #3,646 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1950 | #4,209 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1949 | #3,806 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1948 | #2,923 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1947 | #2,262 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1946 | #2,070 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1945 | #2,128 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #2,260 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1943 | #4,540 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #2,938 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1941 | #3,462 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #3,421 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1939 | #4,728 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #4,782 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1935 | #4,690 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1933 | #4,665 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1931 | #4,773 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #3,247 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1929 | #2,864 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1928 | #4,556 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #3,792 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #4,785 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #3,299 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #5,334 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1918 | #5,346 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1916 | #4,928 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,234 | 163 | 0.0095% |
| 2024 | #1,011 | 221 | 0.0129% |
| 2023 | #1,056 | 206 | 0.0121% |
| 2022 | #1,047 | 211 | 0.0121% |
| 2021 | #1,203 | 161 | 0.0092% |
| 2020 | #1,155 | 168 | 0.0097% |
| 2019 | #1,115 | 176 | 0.0098% |
| 2018 | #1,132 | 171 | 0.0094% |
| 2017 | #952 | 219 | 0.0118% |
| 2016 | #1,043 | 190 | 0.0100% |
| 2015 | #1,034 | 196 | 0.0102% |
| 2014 | #972 | 216 | 0.0112% |
| 2013 | #883 | 236 | 0.0125% |
| 2012 | #861 | 245 | 0.0129% |
| 2011 | #876 | 239 | 0.0126% |
| 2010 | #870 | 242 | 0.0126% |
| 2009 | #833 | 260 | 0.0131% |
| 2008 | #760 | 293 | 0.0144% |
| 2007 | #754 | 292 | 0.0141% |
| 2006 | #686 | 329 | 0.0160% |
| 2005 | #690 | 300 | 0.0150% |
| 2004 | #624 | 338 | 0.0170% |
| 2003 | #640 | 322 | 0.0163% |
| 2002 | #597 | 342 | 0.0176% |
| 2001 | #614 | 315 | 0.0162% |
| 2000 | #601 | 329 | 0.0168% |
| 1999 | #632 | 284 | 0.0148% |
| 1998 | #627 | 290 | 0.0152% |
| 1997 | #564 | 335 | 0.0178% |
| 1996 | #534 | 362 | 0.0191% |
| 1995 | #563 | 332 | 0.0174% |
| 1994 | #616 | 288 | 0.0149% |
| 1993 | #613 | 288 | 0.0147% |
| 1992 | #544 | 351 | 0.0176% |
| 1991 | #514 | 375 | 0.0186% |
| 1990 | #506 | 380 | 0.0185% |
| 1989 | #475 | 402 | 0.0201% |
| 1988 | #467 | 383 | 0.0200% |
| 1987 | #510 | 310 | 0.0166% |
| 1986 | #487 | 323 | 0.0175% |
| 1985 | #459 | 351 | 0.0190% |
| 1984 | #492 | 292 | 0.0162% |
| 1983 | #479 | 311 | 0.0173% |
| 1982 | #470 | 325 | 0.0179% |
| 1981 | #404 | 408 | 0.0228% |
| 1980 | #402 | 407 | 0.0228% |
| 1979 | #386 | 438 | 0.0254% |
| 1978 | #367 | 439 | 0.0267% |
| 1977 | #344 | 522 | 0.0318% |
| 1976 | #302 | 591 | 0.0377% |
| 1975 | #280 | 681 | 0.0436% |
| 1974 | #245 | 815 | 0.0518% |
| 1973 | #208 | 1,040 | 0.0667% |
| 1972 | #178 | 1,392 | 0.0858% |
| 1971 | #153 | 1,923 | 0.1087% |
| 1970 | #136 | 2,465 | 0.1326% |
| 1969 | #112 | 2,869 | 0.1604% |
| 1968 | #93 | 3,216 | 0.1850% |
| 1967 | #84 | 3,758 | 0.2155% |
| 1966 | #69 | 4,526 | 0.2538% |
| 1965 | #51 | 6,037 | 0.3245% |
| 1964 | #47 | 7,768 | 0.3898% |
| 1963 | #44 | 9,046 | 0.4454% |
| 1962 | #39 | 10,525 | 0.5088% |
| 1961 | #36 | 11,673 | 0.5496% |
| 1960 | #36 | 12,041 | 0.5648% |
| 1959 | #37 | 11,997 | 0.5620% |
| 1958 | #40 | 10,779 | 0.5079% |
| 1957 | #53 | 7,247 | 0.3359% |
| 1956 | #97 | 3,901 | 0.1844% |
| 1955 | #123 | 2,731 | 0.1326% |
| 1954 | #130 | 2,503 | 0.1228% |
| 1953 | #136 | 2,277 | 0.1154% |
| 1952 | #136 | 2,101 | 0.1081% |
| 1951 | #128 | 2,198 | 0.1167% |
| 1950 | #113 | 2,615 | 0.1461% |
| 1949 | #88 | 3,742 | 0.2109% |
| 1948 | #68 | 5,045 | 0.2875% |
| 1947 | #65 | 5,750 | 0.3143% |
| 1946 | #64 | 4,854 | 0.2989% |
| 1945 | #69 | 3,592 | 0.2669% |
| 1944 | #80 | 3,084 | 0.2263% |
| 1943 | #90 | 2,803 | 0.1964% |
| 1942 | #106 | 2,293 | 0.1660% |
| 1941 | #111 | 1,933 | 0.1574% |
| 1940 | #122 | 1,549 | 0.1336% |
| 1939 | #129 | 1,348 | 0.1218% |
| 1938 | #154 | 1,055 | 0.0951% |
| 1937 | #168 | 871 | 0.0817% |
| 1936 | #174 | 774 | 0.0746% |
| 1935 | #184 | 728 | 0.0699% |
| 1934 | #193 | 650 | 0.0629% |
| 1933 | #203 | 574 | 0.0579% |
| 1932 | #206 | 624 | 0.0598% |
| 1931 | #190 | 693 | 0.0667% |
| 1930 | #197 | 711 | 0.0648% |
| 1929 | #195 | 696 | 0.0647% |
| 1928 | #187 | 761 | 0.0687% |
| 1927 | #180 | 800 | 0.0710% |
| 1926 | #170 | 857 | 0.0772% |
| 1925 | #164 | 908 | 0.0814% |
| 1924 | #164 | 963 | 0.0850% |
| 1923 | #155 | 1,006 | 0.0918% |
| 1922 | #163 | 931 | 0.0856% |
| 1921 | #145 | 1,080 | 0.0981% |
| 1920 | #141 | 1,074 | 0.1009% |
| 1919 | #132 | 1,122 | 0.1145% |
| 1918 | #127 | 1,287 | 0.1270% |
| 1917 | #126 | 1,181 | 0.1276% |
| 1916 | #125 | 1,114 | 0.1252% |
| 1915 | #129 | 1,029 | 0.1213% |
| 1914 | #129 | 794 | 0.1213% |
| 1913 | #145 | 520 | 0.1015% |
| 1912 | #144 | 430 | 0.1000% |
| 1911 | #138 | 243 | 0.1075% |
| 1910 | #143 | 222 | 0.1143% |
| 1909 | #152 | 167 | 0.1018% |
| 1908 | #167 | 139 | 0.0901% |
| 1907 | #147 | 157 | 0.1069% |
| 1906 | #146 | 141 | 0.1059% |
| 1905 | #167 | 117 | 0.0884% |
| 1904 | #161 | 118 | 0.0921% |
| 1903 | #157 | 113 | 0.0948% |
| 1902 | #173 | 99 | 0.0807% |
| 1901 | #158 | 98 | 0.0920% |
| 1900 | #159 | 132 | 0.0877% |
| 1899 | #176 | 83 | 0.0781% |
| 1898 | #160 | 106 | 0.0864% |
| 1897 | #168 | 92 | 0.0816% |
| 1896 | #193 | 85 | 0.0711% |
| 1895 | #186 | 85 | 0.0724% |
| 1894 | #173 | 87 | 0.0752% |
| 1893 | #207 | 67 | 0.0597% |
| 1892 | #199 | 76 | 0.0623% |
| 1891 | #196 | 64 | 0.0632% |
| 1890 | #170 | 83 | 0.0748% |
| 1889 | #186 | 72 | 0.0651% |
| 1888 | #185 | 81 | 0.0670% |
| 1887 | #175 | 73 | 0.0720% |
| 1886 | #166 | 84 | 0.0758% |
| 1885 | #159 | 84 | 0.0779% |
| 1884 | #166 | 84 | 0.0734% |
| 1883 | #170 | 73 | 0.0698% |
| 1882 | #156 | 89 | 0.0783% |
| 1881 | #231 | 44 | 0.0437% |
| 1880 | #143 | 95 | 0.0860% |
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.
