Michelle

Michelle meaning

Michelle is a Christian girl's name of Hebrew origin (via French).

French feminine of Michel (Michael): who is like God?

Michelle is the French feminine of Michel, the French form of Michael. Strong's Concordance (H4317) explains the Hebrew Miyka'el as a question, "who is like God?", built from mi, "who", a word meaning "like", and El, "God"; the question expects the answer that no one is. Michael is the archangel of Daniel, Jude and Revelation, venerated as protector of God's people. Michelle spread through the English-speaking world in the twentieth century and was carried further by figures such as Michelle Obama. In India it is used by Catholic families in Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai and Kerala.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, H4317 · entry Miyka'el · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Strong's H4317, Miyka'el (Bible Hub)

Famous namesakes

• Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States

Popularity abroad

• #465 United States, girls 2025 (down 56 from 409 in 2024)
  US Social Security Administration
• #346 England and Wales, girls 2025
  Office for National Statistics

Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.

Spellings

Michelle · Michele · Mishel

Related names

Also meaning god

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