Total births
11,559
Unisex name · since 1882
Mikel
Since 1882, U.S. Social Security records show 11,559 babies named Mikel, peaking in 2004. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1778
- among boys today
- 11,559
- born since 1882
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 88%
- more common than other boys
11,559 babies have been named Mikel since 1882, making it today's #1778 unisex name.
Mikel has 11,559 recorded births among boys since 1882, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1778 as of the latest data, more common than 88% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2025.
- #1778 among boys today
- 11,559 born since 1882
- 2000s peak decade
- 88% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Mikel is currently the #1778 unisex name in America, more common than 88% of boys - 11,559 born since 1882, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1778
- among boys today
- 11,559
- born since 1882
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 88%
- more common than other boys
Mikel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1778
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 88% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
16% of everyone ever named Mikel was born in this single decade.
2004
Single peak year
201 babies were named Mikel in 2004 - its busiest year on record.
How Mikel compares
11,559 Top 8% higher than 92% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Mikel's all-time total is 31x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Mikel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 11,559 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 201 | 23 | 22,252 |
Mikel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Mikel's full recorded timeline at 1973, 69% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 31% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1882, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2004 peak of 201 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Mikel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2004
Current rank
#1,778
Active since
1882
Mikel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2025
- Peak year (2004)
- 201
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Mikel popularity over time - girls
995 total births recorded since 1936 (Mikel as girls' name)
Mikel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Mikel's strongest decade.
1,805 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Mikel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1910s 35
1910s
35 births
- 1920s 46
1920s
46 births
- 1930s 50
1930s
50 births
- 1940s 430
1940s
430 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,503 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,144 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,261 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,438 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,699 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,805 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,516 births
- 2020s 627
2020s
627 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,805 births (16% of all-time use).
How Mikel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Mikel's total volume
Mikel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Mikel by state
Where Mikel concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,129 | 9.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 1,029 | 8.9% |
| #3 | Florida | | 514 | 4.4% |
| #4 | New York | | 347 | 3.0% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 341 | 3.0% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 340 | 2.9% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 335 | 2.9% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 295 | 2.6% |
California share of Mikel's total US births 9.8%
Even split
1,129 of 11,559 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 36 reporting states.
Mikel appears in 36 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Mikel? ▼
11,559 babies have been named Mikel since 1882. It currently ranks #1778 among boys. The peak year was 2004 with 201 births.
When was Mikel most popular? ▼
Mikel was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,805 total births. The single peak year was 2004.
Where is Mikel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Mikel are California (1,129 births), Texas (1,029 births), Florida (514 births).
Is Mikel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Mikel is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 11,559 births, and as a girl's name it has 995 births.
How long has the name Mikel been used? ▼
Mikel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1882, spanning 144 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Mikel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mike, Mikael, Mikhail, Mikah, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Mikel's data
- Mikel's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (1,805 total births) through the 2020s (627) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Mikels (1,129 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 Mikel
Nearby Names Like Mikel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Mikel
Mike Boy
#1009 205,861 births
Mikael Boy
#1130 5,939 births
Mikhail Boy
#1910 4,134 births
Mikah Boy
#1610 3,379 births
Mikal Boy
#4605 3,334 births
Compare Mikel side by side: Mikel vs Mike Mikel vs Mikael Mikel vs Mikhail
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Mikel
Harper #1777
6,769 births · Peak 2012
Federico #1779
8,971 births · Peak 1976
Don #1776
167,632 births · Peak 1946
Antony #1780
10,701 births · Peak 2007
Savior #1775
753 births · Peak 2024
Reynaldo #1781
20,552 births · Peak 1991
Xavian #1774
1,956 births · Peak 2024
Garrison #1782
8,509 births · Peak 1999
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, 1882–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Mikel: #1778 Unisex Name - 11,559 Births, Peak 2004." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/mikel. 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 Mikel 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.