Mike Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Mike is a diminutive of Michael, which comes from the Hebrew name Mikha'el meaning 'Who is like God?'. It evolved through Latin and Greek forms before becoming popular in English. The name is associated with friendly traits and has biblical significance as Michael is an archangel. Mike has gained popularity in the 20th century and has several variants.
The name Mike is most popular in Wyoming, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Baby Boomers generation in the West region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Mike has been stalled for male in MidWest, too falling for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Mike' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 149th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 131st out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 60th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 147th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 512th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 691st out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 1050th out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 5533rd out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 3609th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 2931st out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 4920th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 16492nd out of 27321 names. Discover how the name 'Mike' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Mike"
Pronunciation
/maɪk/
Origin
Hebrew
Etymology
Mike is a diminutive form of Michael, which originates from the Hebrew name Mikha'el, meaning 'Who is like God?'.
Meaning
Who is like God?
Language Evolution
Mikha'el (Hebrew), Michael (Latin/Greek), Mike (English)
Biblical Background
Michael is an archangel in the Hebrew Bible, and the name has significant biblical roots.
Historical Usage
The name Mike gained popularity in the 20th century, becoming widely used as a short form of Michael.
Variants & Derivatives
Michael, Mickey, Mikey
Modern Popularity & Image
Mike is commonly perceived as a friendly and approachable name, often associated with masculinity and reliability.
Famous People
Mike Tyson, Mike Pence, Mike Wazowski
Explore More Mike Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Mike"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Mike"
"Mike" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 149th of 7545 | 16,710 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 131st of 6773 | 24,739 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 60th of 7552 | 118,793 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 147th of 10718 | 31,119 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 512th of 16616 | 5,481 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 691st of 24088 | 4,755 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 1050th of 23106 | 2,371 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 5533rd of 9107 | 39 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 3609th of 9204 | 117 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 2931st of 12526 | 299 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 4920th of 19264 | 176 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 16492nd of 27321 | 31 |
Regional Popularity of "Mike" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
9.04% 128th/1416 |
7.83% 108th/1379 |
11.83% 280th/2366 |
9.28% 106th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
7.57% 117th/1546 |
12.08% 188th/1556 |
7.99% 188th/2353 |
3.56% 55th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
2.25% 50th/2227 |
4.73% 115th/2430 |
2.66% 76th/2853 |
1.33% 37th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
3.92% 115th/2937 |
6.86% 239th/3483 |
5.37% 189th/3518 |
2.40% 97th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
19.76% 728th/3685 |
10.12% 453rd/4475 |
11.22% 583rd/5194 |
6.35% 401st/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
28.26% 1295th/4582 |
10.34% 534th/5164 |
10.08% 737th/7313 |
7.83% 584th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
39.61% 1578th/3984 |
17.25% 774th/4487 |
15.79% 1077th/6822 |
14.95% 938th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Mike" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - |
95.75% 2253rd/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - |
85.94% 2452nd/2853 |
78.05% 2166th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - |
100.00% 4044th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Mike"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Mike" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.