Total births
6,995
Unisex name · since 1946
Michell
Michell has 6,995 recorded births since 1946 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1971 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9654
- among girls today
- 6,995
- born since 1946
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 46%
- more common than other girls
6,995 babies have been named Michell since 1946, making it today's #9654 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Michell has been recorded 6,995 times among girls since 1946, currently ranked #9654 nationally and more common than 46% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1946 to 2025.
- #9654 among girls today
- 6,995 born since 1946
- 1970s peak decade
- 46% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Michell is currently the #9654 unisex name in America, more common than 46% of girls - 6,995 born since 1946, peaking in the 1970s.
- #9654
- among girls today
- 6,995
- born since 1946
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 46%
- more common than other girls
Michell vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#9654
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 46% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
31% of everyone ever named Michell was born in this single decade.
1971
Single peak year
290 babies were named Michell in 1971 - its busiest year on record.
How Michell compares
6,995 Top 11% higher than 89% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Michell's all-time total is 18x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Michell | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 6,995 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 290 | 48 | 19,840 |
Michell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Michell splits its recorded history at 1986: 30% of all births land in the more recent half, 70% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1947 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1971 peak of 290 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Michell at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1971
Current rank
#9,654
Active since
1946
Michell popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1946–2025
- Peak year (1971)
- 290
- Annual births at peak, across 80 years of records
Michell popularity over time - boys
588 total births recorded since 1926 (Michell as boys' name)
Michell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Michell's strongest decade.
2,176 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Michell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 33
1940s
33 births
- 1950s 316
1950s
316 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,655 births
- 1970s
1970s
2,176 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,080 births
- 1990s 691
1990s
691 births
- 2000s 788
2000s
788 births
- 2010s 208
2010s
208 births
- 2020s 48
2020s
48 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 2,176 births (31% of all-time use).
How Michell compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Michell's total volume
Michell vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Michell by state
Where Michell concentrates geographically, total births since 1946
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,069 | 15.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 576 | 8.2% |
| #3 | New York | | 482 | 6.9% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 265 | 3.8% |
| #5 | Florida | | 230 | 3.3% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 220 | 3.1% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 197 | 2.8% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 156 | 2.2% |
California share of Michell's total US births 15.3%
Even split
1,069 of 6,995 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 34 reporting states.
Michell appears in 34 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Michell? ▼
6,995 babies have been named Michell since 1946. It currently ranks #9654 among girls. The peak year was 1971 with 290 births.
When was Michell most popular? ▼
Michell was most popular in the 1970s decade with 2,176 total births. The single peak year was 1971.
Where is Michell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Michell are California (1,069 births), Texas (576 births), New York (482 births).
Is Michell a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Michell is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 6,995 births, and as a boy's name it has 588 births.
How long has the name Michell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Michell since 1946 -- 80 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Michell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Michelle, Michele, Michaela, Michael, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Michell's data
- Michell's decade-level peak was the 1970s (2,176 total births); usage has since declined to 48 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Michells (1,069 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Michell
Nearby Names Like Michell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Michell
Michelle Girl
#409 816,510 births
Michele Girl
#4124 223,299 births
Michaela Girl
#742 53,633 births
Michael Girl
#6941 21,880 births
Micaela Girl
#1118 14,977 births
Compare Michell side by side: Michell vs Michelle Michell vs Michele Michell vs Michaela
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Michell
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1946–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Michell: #9654 Unisex Name - 6,995 Births, Peak 1971." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/michell. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Michell draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.